Aftermath
by Ellen Brand
Summary: PC series, set after the Zordon's Trial arc. Vignettes following up on the various Rangers.
1. Downshifting: Turbo Rangers

after1 _**Disclaimer-** Saban, not me, chime in any time. Well, actually- Three of the five Turbo Rangers ARE mine, now that I think about it. Cool! This is the first in a series of vignettes in PC continuity. This "Aftermath" series can be read in any order, and are follow-ups to "Though the Heavens Fall." Thanks to Hellfire for suggesting this whole thing. This vignette is rated G by the Motion Picture Association of America.___

**Downshifting**

  


It was going to be a beautiful morning. Finishing the last of his kata, Fred Kelman bowed to the rising sun. He'd pulled an all-nighter last night, one of the few times each year when he just didn't go to sleep. It wasn't insomnia, exactly, because he wasn't tired, and he slept just fine the next night. It was just one of those things.   
He'd been rather grateful for the all-nighter, as a matter of fact. Although it had been more than a day since the defeat of the Shadowborg, he was still absorbing the knowledge that everything was finally over. Lita and Peter had both cautioned all the heroes that the nightmares might linger a little longer after this one. After all, the Shadowborg had surpassed anything they'd ever faced, in terms of villany.   
Drying off, Fred stared at the pinkening sky to the east. It was funny, how much of a change this particular battle had been. Not just in terms of higher stakes, but in something more deeply personal. Despite the respect he knew the other Rangers had for him, Fred could see that they didn't quite believe he was capable of acting on his own. He himself hadn't believed it. Always, always, he had had Tommy to fall back on. During Dark Specter's first attack, Andros had been there, and there'd still been Zordon to tell him what to do. But during the Shadowborg fiasco...   
He'd realized very quickly that this time, no one was going to tell him what to do. The various mentors and adults in the Power Chamber were more than happy to give suggestions and information, but everyone had been looking to him for orders. Even Ryan Steel, who was six years older than he, had done it. Even Dragon Borg.   
It had to do with the mystique surrounding the Power Rangers, a mystique which he would be the first to admit that he didn't earn. However, it had resulted in making him, for the first time, the REAL leader of the offensive. It had frightened him at first, but he had very quickly managed to control that. And he had learned, to his own surprise, that he COULD do it. He had managed to lead the teams to victory without Tommy or Zordon to fall back on. Yes, he owed everyone in the teams his thanks; he couldn't have done it without them. But it had been his orders they had followed, and in the end, he had been up for the challenge. Suddenly Fred no longer felt like a replacement Ranger.   
Grinning, he pulled one of the deck chairs out and sank down into it, watching the horizon as the sun began to creep over it. He could feel the warmth of the morning sinking into his bones, bringing with it the knowledge that it was really over. He didn't have to regard the shadows with the wariness and fear that the past weeks had brought. He'd come through it all, alive.   
That thought brought home just how close he had come to losing his father. Fred shivered, remembering the coldness that had washed through him as he had teleported in to Spring Hills, only to see his dad staring Shadowborg in the face, refusing to run away. Fred had never been so proud of his father's courage as at that moment, but the confrontation had frightened him badly. Ever since his mother's death, his father had been all the family he had left in the world.   
But that wasn't true anymore, he reflected. The other Rangers were his family as well, especially the other Turbos. Justin, Rosa, Tasha, Franklin, they were some of the most important things in the world to him, and he wasn't ever going to lose them. Not even if he had to face down Dark Specter himself.   
"You're up early," a voice said quietly from the door. Fred turned back towards the house, seeing without much surprise that his father had risen as well.   
"I never went to sleep," Fred replied, shrugging. His father knew all about his all-nighters and didn't worry much about them anymore. "Pull up a chair. It's a beautiful sunrise."   
George Kelman regarded his son in mild surprise. He and Fred hadn't been spending a lot of time together recently. The boy was always running around with his friends, or hanging out with Tommy Oliver and company. But after a few nights of reliving his confrontation with the Shadowborg, he wasn't about to pass up a chance to spend time with his son.   
Lowering himself into one of the other chairs, George watched as the orange ball of the sun pulled itself further up into the sky. For a long moment, all was silent. Then Fred spoke. "Dad- you do know that I love you, right?"   
"Yeah, Fred. And I love you too," George replied. With that, the two of them watched the sunrise. Nothing more needed to be said. 

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It was going to be a scorcher. That was Justin Stewart's thought as he finished the last of his workout on the shelter lawn. The tree-lined area was quiet and shaded, the perfect place for him to practice without being disturbed. But this morning, even the usually cool glade was filled with the haze that signified hot, oppressive weather to come.   
Taking a sip from his water bottle, Justin sat down and leaned against one of the trees. He hadn't gotten into the shelter until late last night, much to Gina's dismay. If it hadn't been for Detective Park, he would have been in hot water. Justin smiled, thinking how useful Franklin's father had been in protecting their secret identities over the past year.   
God, a year. Had it really been that long? A year since Lerigot's capsule had crashed on Earth? Yes, that had been last July, now that he thought about it. Just an ordinary day in the park for five friends. None of them could have guessed that the adventure of a lifetime was waiting for them.   
It didn't seem like that long. _Time flies when you're running for your life,_ Justin thought to himself, amused. Maligore, the Demons of Nightmare, Ivan Ooze, Shadowborg, and of course Divatox's monsters of the day, all of them seemed to blur into each other and yet stand out clearly in his mind.   
_Who was it that said war was "hours of boredom broken by moments of stark terror?"_ Justin wondered. Whoever it was had being a Ranger down pat, although the lulls weren't really boring. There was always something to do, and always with his friends. It made the time pass so quickly that he barely noticed that his father had only called four times all year.   
Justin sighed. He had really liked meeting Tyler Steele, although he could have wished for different circumstances. But it had hurt, too. In Ryan Steele, Justin could see a reflection of the man he might well become, lost and a little confused by the absence of a father he loved beyond all reason. _But Tyler Steele had an excuse,_ he amended, slightly bitter. _HE spent ten years in VR. My dad's in San Francisco, or Los Angeles, or-_ Justin bit back a frustrated curse. He didn't even KNOW where his father was anymore, and he was getting tired of making excuses. It was becoming very obvious to Justin that with his mother's death, his father just didn't care anymore.   
That thought had occurred to him numerous times before, but this time, the rush of pain he expected didn't come. It hurt, yes, but there was an acceptance there that blunted the agony. For a second, he wondered why, and then he knew.   
He still had a family.   
Family wasn't just blood, a concept every Ranger knew well. All the members of the teams were his family now, from Billy and Jason to Andros and Cassie. His father's abandonment hurt, but he was no longer alone in the world.   
"Yo, egghead. How's the morning workout?" Justin looked up to see Tasha Young smiling down at him, and felt something warm start to uncurl inside of him. His father might be gone, but he had four people willing to stand by him 'til the end of the world. And these four would never leave him, not unless there was no other choice. Reaching out, Justin snagged Tasha's hand and pulled her down to sit beside him.   
"It's gonna be hot this morning," he informed her. She nodded.   
"Yeah. Well, at least we can figure on a quiet day. If Divatox sends the Piranhatrons out, she'll wind up with a bunch of baked fish."   
Justin grinned. "Good. I don't think I'm up to anything more strenuous than blinking, after the last two weeks."   
"Hey, wasn't a total loss," the Yellow Turbo Ranger teased. "We met some real nice people."   
"Yeah, like Roland Williams. You two were getting awfully chummy there for a while," Justin pointed out.   
Tasha regarded him out of the corner of her eye. "Jealous?"   
"No!" Justin thought for a second. "Well, maybe a little," he admitted. "You guys DID spend a lot of time together."   
"That's cause you don't like to run," she pointed out. "I needed a jogging buddy. Roland's a great guy, and a real good friend, but that's it." She took his hand between her own. "Justin, what we have is special, and no one is ever going to come between us. I promise."   
He smiled and nodded, accepting that. "But Tasha, what exactly DO we have? I mean, I can easily say that I love you, but-"   
"The same holds true for Fred, and Franklin, and Rosa," she replied seriously. "Same here. But- there's something deeper between us, and I know you feel it too. We understand each other, better than anyone else on the team."   
He nodded. "But does that make us like Kim and Skull, or Tommy and Jamie?"   
"Maybe there's no difference for us yet," she pointed out. "We're only fourteen, Justin. Maybe romance isn't something we're quite ready for. However our relationship goes, though, no one is ever going to take away how we feel about each other. I can promise you that."   
"I can't ask anything else," he smiled. 

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She couldn't have asked for a better day than this, Rosa De Santos decided. Her brother was home, even if he was currently sleeping like the dead. Shadowborg was history, and Zordon was back. And best of all, today she was on a real date with Franklin Park.   
Turning to her escort, she smiled and squeezed his hand. He squeezed back, his dark eyes warm and contented. There was no awkwardness between them anymore, not like there had been. Rosa grinned faintly as she thought of how the girls at school always laughed and giggled about boys and romance. Most of them didn't have the slightest idea what love really was, couldn't even use the word. "Do you LIKE him, Rosa?" She'd been asked that a hundred times since she and Franklin had started spending so much time together. Her honest answer- "I love him."- had caught all of them off guard. The others simply didn't have the experience to understand it.   
Rosa knew what love was, though. She'd seen it a hundred different ways, both dramatic and mundane. Love was Rocky making their lunches and driving them around when he'd much rather be sparring with Adam or Tommy. Love was their mother working late every night so that they'd get enough to eat and have nice clothes to wear. Love was Fred Kelman standing over her, taking on every Piranhatron that came his way, buying her time to get to her feet. And love was what shone out of Franklin's eyes every time he looked at her.   
Rosa had never said anything about her feelings to any of the other Rangers. She was fourteen, after all, and it was kind of early to be having the type of romance that she suspected they were heading for. But she'd had crushes, and she'd had friendships, and his felt different than either. She loved Franklin, and she knew exactly what that meant.   
"Over here, Rosa," Franklin suddenly said, pulling her off the sidewalk under a shady tree. The park was full of people on such a beautiful morning, but the area they were in was mostly deserted. The two of them sank to the ground, just sitting next to each other.   
Sitting beneath the huge oak, Franklin studied Rosa's profile. There were times during the past few weeks when he'd come close to losing everything that made his life worthwhile. His father, his brother, his friends- and her. He'd told Rosa how he felt about her a hundred times, but he never got tired of saying it.   
"I love you, Rosa," he declared quietly. She smiled at him.   
"I love you too, Frank." Then she giggled.   
Franklin raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"   
"I was just thinking- I was talking to Tanya the other day, and she told me that it took Adam almost a year of dating before he got up the courage to say that."   
Franklin smiled. "I'm not my brother," he replied.   
"No, you're not," she agreed. "Franklin- is something on your mind?"   
"I'm just working through my reactions," he assured her. "God, Rosa, Shadowborg nearly killed my father."   
"But he didn't. Come one, Frank, your dad is as tough as old tires. Between him and us, there's nothing he can't survive."   
"I know, but it still scared me. And I couldn't help thinking of how close I came to losing him forever, and all the time we spent fighting. I don't want to lose any more time with anyone."   
She reached out and squeezed his shoulder in sympathy. Her shift in position brought their faces a little closer together, and the two of them froze, eyes locked. Slowly, Franklin leaned forward, closing the distance between them as their lips touched.   
It was a simple, gentle kiss, but Rosa felt as if someone had set her entire bloodstream on fire. "Wow," she breathed as they finally broke apart.   
"Wow," agreed Franklin. They settled back against the tree, still holding hands. 

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"Hey, Red," Adelle Ferguston grinned. Fred grinned back at her. She'd nicknamed him that, since he was always wearing that color in one form or another. The name was closer to the truth than she knew, but he wasn't about to fill her in on that.   
"Your friends are over there in the corner," she gestured. "I think they're waiting for you."   
He nodded. "Thanks, Adelle." Leaving the Surf Spot's owner behind, he headed over to the table his friends were currently occupying. Rosa and Franklin were holding hands, he noticed, and Tasha was sitting quite close to Justin. He couldn't help chuckling, even though he felt a little left out by the pairing off. He shrugged mentally. He was only fourteen- there was lots of time.   
"So, how'd everybody sleep last night?" he asked, as Adelle brought them their usual round of sodas.   
"Better," Franklin replied honestly. "I think it helped that Dad wasn't getting all that much sleep either."   
"I bet," Tasha agreed. "This must have been pretty stressful for him, too."   
Rosa sighed. "It's OVER," she insisted. "We made it."   
"Yeah," Justin agreed. "Listen, I was just thinking this morning- I don't know what I'd do without you guys. You're my family, and I'm so glad to have you in my life."   
"Same here," Franklin replied.   
Tasha nodded. "I think it's unanimous."   
Suddenly Fred rose to his feet, soda glass in one hand. "I propose a toast. To friends, to family, and to making it through another crisis by the skin of our teeth."   
The other four Turbo Rangers chuckled, and raised their glasses as well. "Hear, hear!" Rosa responded.   
Five glasses clinked, and five friends drank to each other and a bond beyond price. 

The End 

  
  



	2. Metal Sunrise: Beetleborgs

after2 _**Disclaimer-** Saban, not me, you know the rest. This is the second in the Aftermath series of vignettes, in the PC continuity. This series can be read in any order, and are follow-ups to "Though the Heavens Fall." Thanks to Hellfire for suggesting this whole thing. This vignette is rated G by the Motion Picture Association of America.___

**Metal Sunrise**

  


Gold, silver, purple and bronze. Drew McCormick smiled to himself as he looked at the sun beginning to rise about the horizon. Funny how those tints were so obvious this morning, in the light shining through the clouds. It was a new day for the Beetleborgs, and he doubted the changes were over yet.   
This morning, he sat on the front porch of Hillhurst, soaking up the sun and thinking about everything that had passed. The Shadowborg was history, the Beetleborgs had a new member, and they'd made allies who would be ready to come to their aid at a moment's notice.   
Drew shifted, remembering what else the last adventure had brought. He could still remember all the hate and anger that had consumed him while under Shadowborg's control. He knew it was going to take him time to work through that, and he wasn't the only one. Jo was jumpy as hell, especially where he was concerned. There were still times when she regarded him with apprehension, and he knew she still relived his attack on her in her dreams.   
Frowning, Drew slammed a fist into one of the support posts for the porch. That was one of the things that hurt the most, he thought. His sister had always been the one person in his life he could count on, and vice versa. With one swoop, Shadowborg had managed to damage that bond almost beyond repair. With patience, though, Drew knew he could regain Jo's trust. It would just take time.   
From Jo, his thoughts moved to Josh Baldwin, the new Electric Bronze Beetleborg. Although he'd never admit it to anyone, Drew was glad that Josh was back, and not just out of gratitude for his rescue. Josh was an excellent fighter, and Drew knew him to be a loyal friend, despite all the poison that Shadowborg had dug up. Their relationship might not change on the surface, but Drew now knew that Josh would stand beside him until Doomsday, if necessary.   
With a sigh, Drew leaned back against the wall to watch the sunrise continue. Considering his life, it was likely to be the only peace and quiet that he got that day. 

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The sun beat down on Charterville, cooking the sidewalks, the lawns, and all the people stupid enough to be outside on a morning like this. People like Roland Williams, who was finishing up his daily jog. Leaning against a tree, the tall boy wiped his forehead.   
"'Sunny and cool,' the man says. Yeah, right." Not that the heat ever stopped him. Running was his favorite way to release tension, and he'd been doing a lot of it lately.   
It was a little odd to be running alone again. During the Shadowborg fracas, none of them had ever been allowed to be by themselves, for fear of ambush. And he had truly enjoyed running with Tasha Young, despite the teasing Drew and Jo had given him.   
He grinned a little, thinking of the Yellow Turbo Ranger. Sure, he liked her, and he even thought she was pretty, but she just wasn't his type. Besides, he had a feeling that her relationship with Justin Stewart ran deeper than even the two of them knew, and he had no desire to get a first-degree black belt angry at him.   
There'd been a lot of changes in the last few weeks, and some of them had even stayed after the Shadowborg had been defeated. Josh was back with the team, and this time he was going to stay. At first, Roland had been a little worried about Drew's reaction, but the other boy had absorbed the news with an equanimity that had surprised Roland. He was good enough at reading Drew, though, that he could tell the relationship had altered.   
The Astral Borgs were human. That had been the biggest surprise of the whole thing for him, beyond even Art and Les working together. It would be kind of cool, though. Now they had adults who could cover for them when something came up.   
Roland sighed, stretching. If he was going to get back to Zoom in time to help his grandmother open up, he'd better get moving. Looking down at his fingers, he shook his head. He didn't need his civilian powers for this- he could take care of it on his own. That decided, he moved off at a quick, graceful lope. 

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"Where do you want this, Aida?" Jo asked, the large chair hoisted over her head. Ben and Luke groaned   
"She had to ask," Luke Hino, the sometime Fire Borg declared mournfully.   
"Well- maybe over there by the bookcase," Aida Madison replied. "Or- no, maybe by the windows. Or maybe-"   
"Dear," Sean Drake broke in, kissing her on the cheek, "pick a place and stick with it."   
"All right," Aida sighed. "By the bookcase."   
Ben Farraday shook his head. "I can't believe this. The woman takes on Mantrons without blinking an eye, but she can't decide where to put a chair?"   
"Watch it," Luke cautioned, "or you'll wind up eating your own cooking."   
Jo giggled. "It sure was nice of Roland's mom to help you guys find this house," she remarked.   
Sean nodded. "And it was even nicer of the Turbo Rangers to make sure we had the funds for it."   
Luke grinned. "I heard one of the older Rangers chewing Justin out royally for that. Apparently they don't appreciate hacking."   
"Grown-ups can be SO stuffy," Jo sighed with overblown drama. Luke, the only teenage member of the Astral Borg team, agreed with her whole-heartedly.   
Sinking onto the couch she had helped move in, Jo watched in contented amusement as Ben and Luke squabbled good-naturedly about just who was stuffy around here, anyway, and Sean and Aida shook their heads in exasperation. She was going to like having the Astral Borgs around in regular life, and not just on the battlefield. Sometimes, it seemed like Lady Borg was the only one she could talk to about certain things. Oh sure, Drew and Roland were great friends, but they were guys. Some stuff just didn't translate that well across the gender gap.   
Besides, Jo didn't quite feel comfortable spilling her guts to her brother anymore. She knew it wasn't his fault, and that the attack on her had been all Shadowborg's doing, but- she kept remembering that Lancer, speeding down towards her as she lay on the ground. The image kept recurring at the worst times, and she knew that the others had noticed it, especially Drew. The pain and resignation in his eyes hurt almost as much as the original event had, although in a different way.   
_Damn Shadowborg anyway,_ she scowled to herself. She didn't often swear, even in her own head, but it seemed like the only way she could express the emotions swirling inside her. A lot of good had come out of the whole thing, but the scars the battle had left were far from healed.   
On the bright side, Josh was back. Jo smiled, remembering how good it had felt to know that he was one of them again, back on the side of right, fighting against evil. Even the fact that he was almost wearing her brother's armor couldn't blunt that. And she could barely remember images from her coma, twisted and distorted things. Clear among them though was a warm hand grasping hers, and Josh's voice somewhere out there. Knowing that he had cared for her had been a great comfort when it seemed as if she couldn't reach the outside world at all.   
Jo's thoughts were interrupted as a pillow from Luke and Ben's "discussion" suddenly flew at her head. Hefting it, she threw herself into the battle with a kamikaze cry, her moment of introspection temporarily forgotten. 

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"Do I want to know?" Josh Baldwin asked, resignation in his voice as yet another thump echoed from upstairs. Flabber made a face.   
"Probably not," the phasm admitted. "House Monster projects can be hazardous to your health."   
Josh chuckled, acknowledging that. Leaning back in his chair, he shook his head. "And to think, I actually MISSED all this," he grinned. "I must be insane."   
"That is an occupational hazard," Flabber agreed. "So, what's on your agenda for today, Josh?"   
"Nothing, if I can help it. The guys are down at Zoom, and I'll join 'em eventually, but- I kind of wanted to get re-adjusted to this place."   
The blue phasm cocked an eyebrow at him. "Josh, I'M not adjusted to this place. I'm not sure I ever will be."   
"So, did the monsters wreck anything while you were ensconced in the Power Chamber?"   
"Well, I checked, and Charterville isn't missing any pizza delivery people, and the house seems to be intact- for now," he amended, as yet another thump echoed down the stairs.   
The latest thump was followed by the unmistakable sound of Count Fangula crying "Tally-ho!" and the blare of trumpets. Josh looked at Flabber in alarm.   
"Don't think about it, and maybe it won't come down here," was the phasm's advice. "So, how's things with you and Drew?"   
"Pretty good, now that I've accepted that _he's_ the leader of this team. And I've gotten over my crush on Heather, so we've pretty much worked everything out."   
Flabber grinned. "How's things with Jo?" he inquired, summoning a bouquet of red roses and a string quartet. Josh glared at him.   
"Progressing slowly. Like not until she's at _least_ fifteen." Then he grinned. "But the roses aren't a bad idea. Can I have some?"   
"Red," Flabber asked, "or purple?" With the last word, the roses flickered and became a beautiful lavender color.   
Josh shook his head. "Show-off." 

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"What do you think, Drew?" Joyce asked anxiously. "The gold earrings or the green?"   
Drew shrugged. "I'm a guy, Mom. Ask Jo."   
Joyce stuck her tongue out at him, then headed to the foot of the stairs. "Josephine!" she yelled.   
"Green!" came the reply. Joyce shrugged.   
"Good ears."   
Drew shook his head. "She just knows you. Mom, I've never seen you this nervous. It's just dinner- right?"   
"Yes, Drew." Joyce sighed. "I just- haven't wanted to make a good impression this badly for years."   
"Mom, trust me. You'll knock his socks off- if he's wearing socks."   
"It's a nice restaurant, Drew. He'll be wearing socks. Now, I've left you dinner, and you know where it is, right?"   
"MOM!" Drew regarded his mother with fond exasperation. "We'll be fine. I'll heat up a can of Spaghetti-O's if I have to, but we'll be okay. Calm down."   
Joyce made a face. "Who's the parent here, anyway? I'm going to go put on my make-up. Answer the door if it rings, okay?"   
"Yes, Mom," Drew sighed. He had just turned back to his new issue of Beetleborgs when the doorbell rang. Rising to his feet, he reached the door just as Jo bounced down the stairs.   
When he opened the door, Drew was greeted by a sight he never thought he'd see- Art Fortunes in a suit. It was a normal dark gray, with a white shirt and a conservative tie. Drew raised both eyebrows. "Art! You look- normal. But good," the blond hastened to assure his mother's date.   
"Thank you," the cartoonist said dryly. "Is your mother ready yet?"   
"She's putting on her make-up," Jo supplied. "She'll be down in a minute."   
Drew grinned. His mother had dated off and on for the past few years, but he couldn't think of a single one of her boyfriends he liked better than Art Fortunes. He knew the man would treat her well, and wouldn't run away from any suggestion of Joyce having kids. And if somewhere down the road, Art and his mother got married, he knew Art would be a great step-father to the two of them.   
Drew looked up as his mother came down the stairs, locking arms with Art as she reached the bottom. "Remember, bedtime is at nine," she ordered them. "I don't care if you're superheroes, you're still growing children."   
"Yes, Mom," Jo and Drew droned in unison. Then Drew chuckled.   
"Remember, Art, bring her back by eleven," he grinned. Art stuck his tongue out at the boy, and turned with great dignity to escort Joyce to the car. Left alone in the house, Drew and Jo turned to each other and grinned. It looked as if the future was going to be very interesting for everybody.   


The End 

  



	3. Morning Stars: Astro Rangers

after3 _**Disclaimer-** Saban, not me, EVERYBODY sing. :) This is the third in the "Aftermath" series of vignettes, in the PC series after "Though the Heavens Fall." Thanks to Hellfire for suggesting this whole thing. This vignette is rated G by the Motion Picture Association of America._

**Morning Stars**

  


There's nothing like the experience of a sunrise from space. Astronauts from all eras and countries agree, it's the most breathtaking sight known to man. Andros had seen hundreds of them in his lifetime, over more planets than he could ever hope to count, but the sight still held him in awe.   
He was sitting on DECA's observation deck, watching as the light crept slowly over the Earth below him. It was strange how empty the Megaship seemed, after two weeks of having laughing, arguing, and just generally noisy passengers. But their voyage was over. Zordon was safe, Darkonda was ousted, and the Rangers were home.   
Home. Andros was momentarily startled by the power of the feelings that word evoked. KO-35 had been home, and after it was destroyed, he had never thought he'd have a home again. Home was an image inextricably linked with the friends he had lost. Deanara, Bran, Daithi, Saoirse- and Zhane. Without them, how could he ever have a home again?   
Then he'd come to Earth, and met four humans who didn't take no for an answer, and refused to let him fight alone. TJ, Cassie, Carlos, Ashley, they'd wormed their way into his life so gradually, he hadn't realized how much he depended on them until it was far too late to change. But, all of a sudden, he hadn't wanted to change. He was tired of being alone, and so he had let them draw him out of his shell, back into life, and slowly, their home had become his.   
No, that wasn't right, he realized. THEY had become his home. Andros was suddenly reminded of something Peter Venkman had said during the party, when Rocky had mentioned how good it was to be home.   
"Home is great," the psychologist had agreed, "but it's not a place. The most beautiful house in the world is cold and empty if there's no one to share it with. Home isn't a place- it's the people who are there, the people who love you." It was a surprisingly deep remark from the Ghostbuster, who generally tried to appear as shallow as possible. But all of the heroes who had remained on Earth seemed more reflective that day. The Shadowborg had apparently given all of them a great deal to think about.   
Well, that wasn't confined to the Earth-based teams, either. Andros had a lot to think about now, too. Like Chris Sterling, the new Silver Ranger. It had been so strange to see the Silver powers in action again, even if they weren't REALLY the originals. Those were still in cryogenic suspension with Zhane, irretrievable. Idly, Andros wondered if his friend was aware, through those powers, of what was going on. If so, Andros thought he'd be pleased. Despite his different personality and background, Chris had proven himself a valuable part of the team.   
Then there was Darkonda. The Mephistan had stirred up a lot of bad memories for Andros, and the young Kerovan doubted they had heard the last of him. People like Darkonda always turned up for more.   
Andros sighed, stretching. Well, he wasn't getting anything done, watching the sunrise. Rising, he headed for his quarters. He had things to do, and he'd better start getting ready. 

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It was hot. Normally, on a day like this, TJ Carter would be at the municipal pool, splashing around with his friends and generally having a good time. But he had too many things to think about, and so he was currently sweating in the batting cages that stood on one side of Angel Grove Park. Pounding the stuffing out of the baseballs that the pitching machines tossed him always made him feel a lot better.   
Compared to some of his friends, the trip had been pretty uneventful for him. Well, if you excluded his short stay in the brig of the Dianth Clan flagship. The thought of what might have happened to him still sent chills down his spine, but the adventure had turned out for the best. Daystar was going to be an excellent friend for the Rangers, and Parker O'Neil seemed to like her a lot.   
Still, he hadn't had nearly the problems that the Turbo Rangers had. Fred's description of Shadowborg had nearly given him nightmares, and he could tell that a lot of the older Rangers had a new respect for the Turbo team. That had never been a problem for him, perhaps because he had grown up almost idolizing the Power Rangers. Whatever age they were, he saw them as heroes, even the Turbos, who were a year younger than he was.   
For him, the trip had been a blast. The planet Danata had been a very interesting place, and he wished they could have spent more time there. The Zarakin were his kind of people, and they certainly knew how to throw a party. TJ chuckled, remembering some of the "offers" he'd received after the Rangers' victory during the festival.   
Then there was Chris, the new Silver Ranger. He liked the guy, and it was obvious that he was the only person Chris felt comfortable around. TJ supposed he could understand that. Considering Chris' feelings for Ashley, it was pretty obvious why the new Silver Astro Ranger didn't want to be around her or Carlos. And Cassie and Andros were just too distant a lot of the time. He and Chris, on the other hand, shared a lot of the same interests. TJ thought things were going to be very interesting for a while.   
The hum of the pitching machine suddenly startled him out of his thoughts. It was out of ammo, which meant that he was out of time. Looking down at his watch, he winced. If he was going to get home and get a shower, he'd better get moving. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Cassie Chan looked up from her diary as the sounds of the party filtered up from downstairs. Over the quiet, polite conversations, she could hear her mother's laughter, light and silvery, like tinkling bells. Marianne Chan had carefully cultivated that laugh, a laugh that was "appropriate" for a lady. And, Cassie thought to herself, one that was as artificial as a plastic rose. There was more real emotion in _Alpha's_ laughter, and he was a robot!   
She didn't know what she'd expected from her homecoming. Whatever it was, though, it wasn't what she got. The first words her mother had said after Cassie's two-week absence weren't "Where were you?" or "Are you all right?" No, they were "Do you think I should wear the pink dress or the champagne?" They'd been headed to a party, and hadn't been able to deviate from their busy schedule long enough to ask why she'd been gone for two weeks.   
That evening, Cassie had cried herself to sleep, realizing at last that NOTHING was going to make things better. She knew her parents loved her- at least, she thought she knew it. No matter how much they cared, though, she knew they'd never be able to show it. They were just too wrapped up in their own lives to ever notice hers.   
And the strangest thing was- it was beginning to hurt less. Part of that was surely due to the Rangers becoming her family, of course. Pain was always lessened by sharing it with others. But part of it was just- acceptance. Her time in the Caves of Alshar, during their quest to prove themselves to the Morphin Masters, had shown her that she didn't have to define herself by her relationship with her parents. She could be herself, and for once, she liked that idea. Now she had Ashley, Carlos, TJ, and- Andros.   
Cassie shifted slightly, thinking of the enigmatic Kerovan Ranger. She knew he cared for her- on a team like the Rangers, it would have been blatantly obvious if he hadn't. What she didn't know was if he had the same feelings for her that she had for him. She'd seen flashes of- something in his eyes, but whether it was just friendship or something more, she couldn't tell.   
With a sigh, Cassie lay back on her bed. It was just her luck, she supposed, to fall for a man still haunted by the ghost of his first love, not to mention guilt over her death. A man who was still very afraid to open his heart to anyone, for fear of the pain it would bring. She shrugged. If being Andros' friend was all he would allow, she'd be content with that. In the meantime, she'd be there for him, whatever it took. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Greetings, Starfighter," the machine intoned. Chris Sterling, sitting in the simulator's seat, nodded, echoing the game's introduction under his breath.   
"Yeah, yeah, defend the galaxy, I know the drill," he muttered. "Let's hit it!" Chris had decided to spend his money on the Starfighter game, a machine he knew by heart, because he had a lot of things to sort out. Starfighter combat, which took only a minimal portion of his brain, was the best way to concentrate that he knew of.   
As Chris' reflexes sent him spinning and dodging through the host of enemy ships, the majority of his thoughts were focused on the past two weeks, and the changes those had wrought. He was a Power Ranger now, him, of all people. The secrecy thing wasn't going to be a problem- there was no one in Dry Creek he liked enough to tell anyway. Not since Ashley had left.   
Now that had been a kick in the pants. Ashley Thompson, the woman he'd had a mammoth crush on for years, was a Power Ranger, and had recruited him for the team. He still wasn't quite sure what her rationale had been. Sure, he could fly anything with wings (although he couldn't land it in one piece, but that was another story.) But he wasn't a martial artist, or a great fighter, or a hero like the rest of the team.   
Still, they'd been pretty good to him. Even Carlos, who he'd been prepared to thoroughly dislike. But Ashley seemed happy with the Black Astro Ranger, and he certainly treated her well. Carlos had even been nice to Chris, although there hadn't been any real love between them. And he'd seriously hit it off with TJ. Somehow, he had a feeling that the Blue Astro Ranger understood him better than he was willing to admit.   
Thinking of colors, Chris grinned slightly. His one concession to the admittedly weak and shaky power coursing through him had been to wear a gray Robotech shirt to the arcade, rather than a white one. Most of the other Rangers felt uncomfortable unless wearing a solid article of their color somewhere on their body. Chris didn't have that problem, and he could only conclude that it was due to his powers not REALLY being the original Silver powers, but a siphoned off set.   
He shivered, automatically dodging Kodan fire as he did so. That had been a scary image. His powers were really only what could be spared from the life support systems keeping Andros' friend alive. Most of the Rangers didn't know about Zhane, and Chris could understand the Kerovan Ranger's reluctance to enlighten them. That had to be a sore spot- a friend not quite alive, not quite dead. He only knew about it because Andros had needed to explain everything about the powers to him.   
Chris sighed. He had sort of expected that once everyone returned to Earth, the other Rangers would drift off on their own again, but it didn't look as if that was going to happen. TJ and Ashley had informed him that he WOULD be hanging out with them, if they had to teleport up to Dry Creek and hogtie him themselves. The last thing he needed was to be hogtied in front of his mother. She'd never let him live it down.   
The arrival of the Kodan flagship startled Chris out of his reflections. This was still something that he needed to concentrate on if he was going to get past it. Guns blazing, Chris dove to the attack, his thoughts forgotten for the time being. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"'Bye Mom!" Ashley Thompson called, dashing out the door. Carlos Vargas grinned at her as she raced down the sidewalk and hopped into his black convertible, not bothering to open the door. Carlos and TJ had fixed the car up from junkyard condition, and he was a little overprotective. Ashley was probably the only one who could get away with bouncing on his upholstery like this.   
"You got everything?" he asked, pulling out of the driveway smoothly. She nodded.   
"Bathing suit, suntan lotion, towel, brush- yeah, I got everything. TJ's bringing to food, right?"   
Carlos laughed. "Of course. Do you think he'd trust anyone else to pack enough for him?"   
She giggled. "Probably not. God, it seems so strange to be having a pool party at Cassie's, after the past two weeks, doesn't it?"   
"Tell me about it," he nodded. "We've been to outer space, to a galactic trial, gained a power that hasn't been wielded in millennia- and now we're just hanging out, like normal teenagers."   
"Can you believe it? We're Ninjetti." Ashley sighed. Even Zordon had been slightly in awe of the six of them, when they had demonstrated their new powers to the Council. And she'd been more than a little surprised to find her new color was blue. Sure, she was smart and good with machines, but she hadn't ever thought of herself in the same category as Billy. And her outfit- "I can't believe I look like a Sailor Senshi."   
Carlos grinned at her. "I like the outfit," he chuckled, ducking as she swatted him playfully. Then he sobered. "Yeah, it is sort of weird, isn't it? For the first time, I really feel a lot closer to Billy and the rest."   
Ashley nodded. She knew what he meant. The Ninjetti powers made them just a little different than the rest of the Astro Ranger team. It affected their senses and physical processes, and although it wasn't enough to drive a wedge between them and their teammates, it did make things very strange.   
"Ash?" Carlos spoke up suddenly, breaking into her thoughts. "I just wanted to tell you- you really mean a lot to me. There were times over the last two weeks that I was sure we were gonna buy it, and I wanted to tell you, just in case."   
Ashley smiled. She knew how hard it was for Carlos to admit to caring for someone, after the loss of his father and all. The words he had just spoken were the closest he ever got to "I love you," but she knew what he meant. Reaching out, she took his free hand.   
"I love you too, Carlos." 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Chris Sterling, don't you dare!" Cassie Chan backed carefully around the edge of the pool, hands extended before her. Meanwhile, the Silver Astro Ranger was advancing on her, a devious gleam in his eyes.   
"Come on, Cassie, lighten up," he grinned. "You need to cool off anyway." So saying, he seized his pink-clad teammate around the waist and threw her into the deep end, watching with an amused smile as she surfaced, spluttering.   
Suddenly Cassie stopped glaring daggers at Chris and began to smirk. That was all the warning he received before TJ and Carlos picked him up and unceremoniously tossed him into the water. Then, perhaps to stave off further retaliation, they jumped in themselves.   
Andros, watching from a safe distance, shook his head. He'd goofed around plenty of times with the other Astro Guardians, but he couldn't understand why water always seemed to trigger this particular behavior in Earth people. From water balloons to swimming pools, humans seemed to regress ten years when confronted with the substance.   
Suddenly he smiled. For the first time, he'd been able to think of his lost teammates with no guilt and only a fraction of the pain the memory usually brought. Looking up, he saw five pairs of eyes watching him expectantly, seeming to know his thoughts. Still, he felt compelled to say something.   
"I'm- really glad you're all my friends," he managed, and TJ flashed him a grin.   
"We know," the Blue Astro Ranger replied, his words covering more than just Andros's statement. Then he chuckled evilly. "But don't think that gets you off the hook."   
Andros' eyes widened as he saw TJ and Carlos haul themselves out of the pool and advance towards him. Leaping off his deck chair, the Kerovan Ranger backed away slowly. "You wouldn't," he protested. The grins on his friends' faces were answer enough. "I outrank you," he offered, knowing it would do little good. "Help!"   
SPLASH!   
Andros surfaced, glaring at his grinning teammates. He couldn't hold the expression for long, however, and began laughing along with them. Then he caught sight of Ashley, standing beside the pool, and the only one still dry. An evil smile crept across his face as he pointed to her and concentrated.   
"Oh NOOOO!" Ashley cried, as she was levitated into the pool.   
The sounds of a full-fledged water war proceeded long into the afternoon.   


The End 


	4. Rider Before the Storm: Masked Rider

after4 _**Disclaimer-** Saban, not me, we all know how this goes by now. This is the fourth in the "Aftermath" series of vignettes, in the PC series after "Though the Heavens Fall." Thanks to Hellfire for suggesting this whole thing. This vignette is rated G by the Motion Picture Association of America._

**Rider Before the Storm**

  


Morning dawned bright over Leawood, as usual. The first rays of the sun washed over the peaceful city like liquid gold. In a small suburb outside of the city, a young man sat on the roof outside his bedroom window, watching the display with thoughts that were far more troubled than the world around him.   
Dex Stewart, prince of the planet Edenoi and heir to the powers of the Masked Rider, hadn't slept at all last night. In part, it was the sheer relief of Shadowborg's defeat, and in part it was due to coming off of two weeks of constant vigilance. But it went deeper than that, and now, as the world slowly awoke around him, the young Edenite tried to sort out the thoughts and emotions coursing through him.   
He could still remember the shock he'd felt when Tommy had told him of Edenoi's liberation. He was happy about it, certainly, but- it had been a surprise, nonetheless. Somehow he had always thought that when the final battle for Edenoi came around, he would be present in it. It was what he had been training for, for the five years of the Edenite rebellion.   
Now it was over. For the first time, Dex could see the end of his long struggle. Not that he didn't still have responsibilities, he reminded himself. It wasn't visible, but he knew that somewhere, soaring above the planet he had come to regard as a second home, was Dregon's spider base. Edenoi might be free, but his private war went on.   
But even that battle was drawing to a close. Dex could feel it in his bones. Without his forces on Edenoi to support him, Dregon was restricted to the Insectivores he had aboard his Spider Base, and those were diminishing rapidly as Masked Rider soundly trounced every one of his uncle's evil schemes. It was only a matter of time before Dregon's lack of resources forced the dictator into the final battle. That was a battle he'd either win, or- Dex shook his head. Losing to Dregon wasn't a possibility he let himself contemplate.   
But victory brought its own problems. However much Dex loved Earth, and it's people, he was the prince of Edenoi, the only one who could carry on the royal line- and the line of the Masked Rider. Once Dregon was defeated, and could pose no more threat to Edenoi, there would be no more reason for Dex to remain here.   
Part of him was glad, rejoicing in the end of his long fight, in the chance to finally relax and enjoy the fruits of peace. But part of him ached every time he realized that peace meant never seeing his adopted family again. The Stewarts had become true family to him, despite only having known him for three years. Hal and Barbara had become his parents, since he had never had a real chance to know the people who had given birth to him.   
A sudden sound behind him made Dex turn, only to see his slightly portly adopted father hauling himself out the window behind him. "I used to do this when I was your age," Hal Stewart puffed, managing to fit. Dex smiled.   
"You were never my age, Dad," he replied. "I am sixteen hundred of your Earth years old."   
Hal shrugged. "You know what I mean. So- what's bothering you, son? You've been extremely quiet since you came home last night, and I noticed that your light was still on at two this morning."   
Dex let out a long sigh. "I'm just- trying to work through a lot of things. Edenoi is free, Dad, finally. Dregon's been dealt a crippling blow, and it looks like this fight will at last be over."   
"But?" Hal prompted softly.   
"But that'll mean I have to leave you guys, and Earth. I've come to love this place, almost as much as Edenoi. It's my home."   
"But you have responsibilities there. It's not an easy choice, I can imagine. But you don't have to make it right away. Dregon hasn't been defeated yet. What else is bothering you, Dex?"   
The young man dropped his head into his hands. "It's just- all of a sudden, I don't know what I'm fighting for. The battle's not about freeing Edenoi anymore. I know it's about protecting Earth, but- what if there's more to it?"   
Hal was silent, knowing that Dex wasn't about to stop there.   
"He killed my father," the Edenite continued softly. "I was five Earth years old, but I can remember. My grandfather was retiring as King and Masked Rider, passing the powers on to my father. His name was Tyrex. I can remember just a little about him- he had dark hair like everyone else in the family, and he was tall and strong- well, at least from a five year-old's viewpoint." Dex's eyes stared off into the distance, seeing things from a very long time ago. "My mother's name was Janara. Supposedly she was the most beautiful woman in three provinces. All I really remember is hearing her sing to me- I sometimes hear her still, when I'm very afraid. She'd always sing me lullabies when I had nightmares.   
"Anyway, Dregon and my father had both courted her, and she chose my father. My father was always the golden child, but no one realized just how much his younger brother resented him. Not until the day of the coronation.   
"Grandfather had just begun the transfer when Dregon pulled a blaster and shot my father dead. I was only a child, but I can remember everything so clearly. He shot my father, and turned to shoot me, and my mother saved me. She threw herself in front of the shot to save me. By then, the guards had captured Dregon, but it was too late. My parents were dead.   
"Dregon was banished to deep space, along with some of his 'court.'" Dex's mouth twisted at the thought of the Renegades. "Nobody heard from him again until five years ago, when his attack on our planet began." Shaking himself, he pulled back to the present.   
Hal nodded slowly. "And now you're not sure whether you want to take Dregon on to protect people, or to get revenge for your parents' deaths."   
"Exactly." Dex rubbed his temples. "I've seen what vengeance can do to you, Dad. I got a very graphic reminder a few days ago." He shivered, remembering the look on Ryan Steele's face as the defense force had burst into Ziktor's office. For a second, the Trooper hadn't seemed quite- human.   
"I can't give you any guarantees, Dex, but I can tell you that we have a lot of faith in you. You've always made the right decisions, even- especially when they weren't easy. This is something I'm afraid you'll have to deal with by yourself. Just remember, we all love you, and we will always be your family."   
Dex shot his adopted father a grateful smile. "Thanks, Dad."   
"Anytime." Then, in silence, the two of them watched the rest of the sunrise.   


The End 

  
  



	5. Warrior Dawn: Morphin Warriors

after5 _**Disclaimer-** Saban, not me, you know how this goes. This is the fifth in the "Aftermath" series of vignettes, in the PC series after "Though the Heavens Fall." Thanks to Hellfire for suggesting this whole thing. This vignette is rated G by the Motion Picture Association of America._

** Warrior Dawn**

  


Dawn slowly spread its light over the hills outside Angel Grove, shadows pooling in the hollows and depressions as the sun climbed higher in the sky. Normally these undeveloped areas are empty, populated only by jackrabbits and other examples of near-desert wildlife. Today, however, there was a new occupant.   
As the world turned gold around him, Jason Scott slipped smoothly from one movement to the next, running through his kata with the ease of much practice. He was not the only Ranger with a habit of sunrise practices, he knew, and often those who rose early would seek each other out. But today, he knew, no one would come looking. They all had too much on their minds to practice in company.   
He wasn't any different. Thoughts chased each other around his mind like frenzied preschoolers, refusing to settle down long enough for him to make sense of them. So much had changed, just in two weeks, and now he had to try and pick up the pieces again. Sometimes it seemed that was all he ever did.   
Probably the experience that had most turned his world upside down was the Rangers' trip to Danata. He had always known that Jamie was of the Zarakin royal line, but seeing her actually accepted as a princess was a completely different experience. It wasn't often that Jason was confronted with his girlfriend's alien heritage. Most of the time, she was like any other human. Well, he thought, amused, maybe that was stretching things a little.   
It had been awkward for him, though, to watch her struggling to reconcile her self-image and way of life with a part of herself she'd never really dealt with. And what scared him was, that way of life had nothing to do with him. He and Jamie had become almost part of each other- he couldn't think of an area of his life where her presence wasn't felt. But she was a PRINCESS, of a race that was very definitely not human. There would always be a part of Jamie that he couldn't quite understand. And that scared him, but if he wanted to be honest with himself, it was also part of the reason that he loved her.   
Leaving that topic, his mind leaped to the incredible shock he had felt upon his return to Earth. The Power Chamber had been in shambles, and learning about the Shadowborg had sent a sudden chill up his spine. The idea that Earth had come to the brink of destruction, without him to help protect it, was sobering.   
But the defense force had come through with flying colors. Jason didn't think he'd ever been prouder of the Turbos than when Alpha had recounted to the space-going teams just how the five kids had pulled all the heroes together into a force ready to face the threat. The kids had grown up, and Jason had the somewhat uncomfortable feeling that had been the case for quite a while. He'd simply refused to see it.   
And Kim and Skull had gotten married. Jason could still remember the utter shock he'd felt at the news, the shock he'd seen mirrored on the faces of all of his friends. He'd always regarded Kim as a little sister, been her protector and mentor. He could still remember "suggesting" to Bulk and Skull that they stop pestering her before he got mad. And now she was married, to the very guy who'd been giving her trouble not more than five years ago. Now that was a weird thought. But for the Rangers, time seemed collapsed in on itself, somehow. Or maybe it was just that they all had to grow up a lot faster than normal. Jason found that thought a little sad.   
Finishing the last of his kata, Jason sighed, snatching up a towel. His restless thoughts were settling down now, and it was probably time he headed back to town. It was going to be a scorcher, and he didn't want to be caught out in it. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

It was a beautiful morning, but Billy Cranston barely noticed. He was ensconced in his lab, his favorite place to go when he felt confused or upset. It was perfect for uninterrupted thought, because his father knew not to bother him in there. And today, Billy had a lot to think about.   
The past two weeks had been like nothing he'd ever experienced. Considering the wide variety of events his career as a Power Ranger had spanned, that was saying something. But the quest for the Great Power, on Phaedos, had been beyond even that. Seeing in real life the place of his false memories had been- strange, to say the least. Most of the time, those memories were distant, like dreams. That was due in part to the fact that they had been "downloaded" into his brain, and also the post-hypnotic suggestion Lita had planted in him when the memories had first surfaced.   
On the surface of Phaedos, however, those dreamlike images had become much more real, lending a quality of double-vision to their quest. Although the training had been something far different. Billy smiled to himself, remembering how much he had enjoyed the rare chance to interact with Rangers from other teams. True, he and Ashley had spent a great deal of time working in the Power Chamber together, but this was his first direct experience with Carlos, and he had been startled to discover the other boy's phenomenal technical ability.   
In addition, the days of training and nights spent in conversation around the fire had reawakened the closeness he felt with Adam, and to a lesser extent, Tanya. Billy was uncomfortably aware that he had neglected his relationship with the young man who had once been his closest friend on the team. But different powers and different teams tended to cause people to drift apart.   
In a way, this trip had been good for them. The team classifications tended to stratify the Rangers, because similar powers provided a closeness that was almost indefinable. Now, however, webs of shared experiences and shared powers cross-connected the three teams, with noticeable results.   
Jason and Tommy, for instance, had re-established the bond that existed between them. Billy smiled faintly, staring at his computer monitor with unseeing eyes. The growing gap between those two had bothered him greatly, the more so because it was so amicable. Jason and Tommy had simply been going their separate ways, no violent disagreements or fights. But Billy had seen the power of their friendship, and it had hurt him to watch something so strong die, for no real reason at all. Now Jason and Tommy were brothers again, in all but blood.   
The trip had been a good time for Billy to re-establish old bonds as well. Not just with Adam and Tanya, but with all the Rangers he had served with. In his time as a Morphin Warrior, he had, to some extent, lost touch with his Zeo comrades, and being cooped up on the Megaship together had given him time to re-connect with all his friends.   
Billy smiled. The trip hadn't been a picnic, but in the end, he thought all of them were better off. Turning back to his computer, he began to transcribe recent events into his diary. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Zack Taylor lay out in his backyard and grinned at the sky. He knew the others all liked to work through their worries by running or sparring or practicing katas until their arms fell off. He preferred to dance, but seeing as most of his family was still asleep, he was pretty much stereo-less. So, he fell back on his second-favorite activity- sunbathing.   
As he lay on the lawn chair, soaking up the warmth of the rising sun, he let his thoughts roam. First and foremost, of course, was the trip the Rangers had recently returned from. He had heard about the Ranger team's first trip to Edenoi, but actually travelling there had been something different. Before that, his only experience with interplanetary travel had been the trip to the Deserted Planet, to retrieve the Sword of Light. And that hadn't exactly been tourist material.   
As it had for the past few days, thoughts of Edenoi automatically led Zack to the memory of that last battle in Tae Shalrith. That one had been haunting his nightmares for the past few days, although the intensity was slowly receding. But every night, he again saw the crush of troops pressing closer, heard Tommy's ragged breathing behind him, and felt the weariness weighing down his limbs as the fight seemed to rage forever. If Lexian's troops hadn't arrived when they had- Zack shook his head. _No room for 'what-ifs,'_ the Black Morphin Warrior told himself. _All you gotta concentrate on is what IS._   
Zack grinned to himself. What HAD actually occurred was that he had been treated to the sight of a burly Edenite rebel carrying the unconscious Red Zeo Ranger out of Tae Shalrith, after Tommy had fainted from exhaustion. Zack hadn't been far behind him, and only pure stubbornness had allowed him to walk out under his own power. Seeing Tommy Oliver, Mr. Perfect and Fearless Leader, carried out like a sack of potatoes had given him new energy, though. He'd kept himself going all the way back to camp thinking of all the different ways he was going to tease Tommy about that.   
Then they'd returned to Earth, only to be informed by Alpha that global crisis had been narrowly averted while they were gone. It was a sobering thought, that evil could attack their home planet behind their backs. Always before, the villains had preferred taking them on face-to-face. The idea that the space-going teams might have come home to a smoking ruin was a chilling one.   
Zack shivered momentarily, but his personality was too cheerful to remain in the dark for long. Drawing his mind away from his memories, Zack applied himself to sunning with a vengeance. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Don't you dare!"   
"It's MINE!"   
"But I wanna see it!"   
"Sylvia, give it BACK!"   
"NOW look what you did!"   
"MOOOOM!"   
Trini Kwan grinned at the noises coming from her little sister Ashley's room. Her cousin Sylvia was spending the week with them, and Trini had been waiting for something like this all morning. The two girls were inseparable, but they fought like cats and dogs. _And people say the main impression they get of my family is "peaceful,"_ Trini chuckled to herself. Apparently, Ashley and Sylvia had gotten everyone else's shares of rambunctious, as well as their own.   
Putting her book down beside her on the bed, Trini remembered more than a few times during the past two weeks when she'd wondered if she'd ever see home again. Her trip to Eltare hadn't exactly been the safest endeavor. She could still remember the chill in the Caves of Alshar, a test which could well have been fatal if the Rangers hadn't passed it.   
But they had passed, and Zordon was back. On the voyage, she'd had a lot of time to think about what mattered to her. The first thing she had done upon returning was tell her family how much she loved them. The second thing had been to go visit Richie. Although she couldn't explain to him where she had been, there hadn't been much explanation needed. He seemed to take everything she did in stride. Besides, they hadn't talked much.   
Trini grinned. Being a bridesmaid at Kimberly's wedding had been a blast, and she was looking forward to repeating it in a few years, when Kim and Skull had their official, legal, Earth wedding. But it had also sent her thoughts back to Richie, back on Earth. To tell the truth, Trini had long worried about her relationship with Richie. For most of the group, relationships with non-Rangers tended to end badly. After all, how could you open yourself up to a person who you had to keep a major secret from, who couldn't share your experiences, and couldn't perceive the world the way you did? Kat and David's relationship was different, but David had been a Ranger much. Zack and Angela- Trini was beginning to sense strain there, and she was worried about where that was going. And she and Richie...   
But Richie always seemed to understand, without having to know. Sometimes Trini wondered if he had figured out her secret, but she hadn't yet found the courage to ask him.   
Suddenly a loud thump cut through her concentration. Sighing, she rose to her feet and headed off to prevent her cousin and sister from inflicting deadly injuries on each other. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"You certainly know how to sweep a girl off her feet," Kimberly Hart giggled. She and Skull were enjoying the beautiful, if extremely warm, afternoon by having a picnic in one of the shady areas of the park. It had been Skull's idea, and he had insisted on being the one to bring the lunch. Since he was quite a competent cook, Kim had agreed without hesitation.   
"Ah, but the best is yet to come," he chuckled. "Since we didn't get the chance to toast each other at a real wedding reception…" Reaching into the basket, he pulled out a bottle of something. Kim cocked an eyebrow.   
"Champagne?" she asked skeptically.   
"Sparkling grape juice," her husband corrected. "We ain't twenty-one yet." Producing a pair of champagne flutes from the basket, he popped the top off the bottle and expertly filled their glasses.   
Kim raised her glass, grinning as she did so. "So, what do you want to toast?"   
"To my beautiful wife, to the best friends in the world, and to making it home with our skins intact."   
Laughing, Kim clinked her glass with his, and the two of them took a long drink. After a moment, Kim looked up from her glass. "Are you sorry?" she asked curiously.   
"Not really," Skull replied, shaking his head. "If there's anything I regret, it was that Bulk couldn't be there. I know that we'll have an official ceremony in a few years, but-"   
"It won't quite be the same, will it?" she agreed. "I feel the same way. I wish my mom and dad could have been there, even though I know they would have gone through the roof. 'You're only nineteen years old!'" she parroted, mimicking her mother's voice exactly. "If she only knew just how old I was."   
"You didn't tell her anything, did you?" he wanted to know.   
Kim shook her head. "No. I live with my dad, so I just had him cover for me. I'd like to keep my Ranger career a secret from Mom for as long as possible. She still thinks of me as her baby girl, and I don't want to give her a heart attack."   
Laying back in the soft grass, Skull stared at the clouds floating past. "I think I'm just as glad to keep our wedding secret from my family for a while longer. My parents would love you, but the last thing I wanna do is provoke the rest of the family into World War III."   
"What do you mean, World War III?"   
He sighed. "My mom comes from a rich family, and my dad from a working class one. Neither side of the family would give the other the time of day, and they've made me the center of their battle. Who'm I going to identify with? Who will I support? And this will just make it worse. My dad's parents will see my marrying you as selling out, because your family is pretty well off. My mom's parents, on the other hand, will see it as marrying beneath me, because you're not a pampered debutante. It's just a headache I wanna put off for a few more years."   
Kim made a face. "Jeez. Even at their worst, my parents weren't that bad."   
"I'm used to it. I don't LIKE it, but I'm used to it." Then he smiled. "Besides, it doesn't matter anymore. I have you, and the rest of the Rangers. That's all the family I need."   
Smiling back, she snuggled up beside him, and the two of them continued to watch the clouds race across the sky.   


The End 

  
  



	6. Ghostly Futures: Real Ghostbusters

after6 _Disclaimer- The Ghostbusters belong to DIC, not me. This is the sixth in the "Aftermath" series of vignettes, in the PC series after "Though the Heavens Fall." Thanks to Hellfire for suggesting this whole thing. This vignette is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for occasional language._

**Ghostly Futures**

  


"This is not fun! I've had fun before, and this is DEFINITELY not it!" Peter Venkman declared, ducking behind a crate. From his hiding place behind one of the other boxes, Egon Spengler couldn't help grinning. A Class Seven entity had been chasing them around the docks for half an hour, giving them little to no time to rest. All four men had been kept busy dodging the demon's fireballs and the shrapnel they caused. Yet somehow, Peter had found the breath to deliver that complaint in a loud, clear voice.   
_Must be the effects of those Ranger powers,_ Egon mused. Over the past two weeks, he had noticed Peter's stamina increasing, although there had been little time to make a scientific analysis of the matter. Especially since Peter absolutely refused to act as guinea pig.   
"Egon," the handset at his belt suddenly squawked. "This is Ray. I'm in position, and so is Winston. Are you guys ready?"   
"As we'll ever be," the physicist replied, shooting Peter a look. The younger man nodded, hefting his proton thrower.   
"Let's do it!" Ray cried. With that, the four Ghostbusters leaped out of their hiding places, surrounding the demon. "Power up!" yelled the occultist. Then he squawked as the demon flung a fireball directly at him. Backed up almost to the edge of the dock, Ray had nowhere left to give ground.   
"NO!" A flash of green suddenly appeared between Ray and the fireball, taking the blow squarely in the chest. The force of the projectile sent Peter, now clad in his green Morphin Warrior jumpsuit, slamming back into a crate, and he crumpled to the ground.   
"PETER!" three voices cried out in simultaneous horror.   
Winston was the first to regain his composure. "Roast it!" he yelled, a proton beam snaking out from his thrower to strike the creature in the middle of the chest. Ray and Egon joined in simultaneously from where they stood flanking their fallen colleague.   
"I'm not sure how long we can hold it with just three throwers," Ray puffed, shooting Egon a concerned glance. Suddenly a beam of powerful green energy sizzled up to encircle the struggling beast. Looking down, Egon saw that Peter was conscious, and from the sparkle in his green eyes, he was PISSED. Which, the physicist thought faintly, might account for the unusual strength of his energy stream. Magical weapons tended to vary in power with the wielder's moods.   
"Get the trap, Ray!" Peter growled, still firing from a semi-prone position. "I'll help hold him!"   
The occultist nodded. "Right! Trap out!" Stomping on the foot pedal, he opened the trap and watched as the demon was sucked inside. The doors clicked shut, and everything on the pier was silent. Peter levered himself to his feet, his jumpsuit fading back to brown as he did so.   
"Are you all right, Peter?" Egon asked, helping the psychologist up. Once vertical, Peter brushed off his friends' helping hands.   
"Sure, Spengs," Peter replied, in a tone that meant the exact opposite. "Let's just collect our fee for this sucker and get out of here." Grabbing the full trap from Ray, he strode off towards the pier offices, leaving three astonished men behind. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Winston Zeddemore sighed. He'd been staring at Ecto's engine for twenty minutes without doing much of anything. The old girl needed a tune-up, but for some reason, he couldn't concentrate on anything. Well, actually, he knew what the reason was. He was worried about Peter. They all were.   
After returning from the bust, the psychologist had dressed in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and left to go running. Obviously something was bothering him that he didn't want to talk about, and he knew his friends weren't about to let him get away with something like that. So he was avoiding them.   
Winston could understand why Peter might be feeling a bit confused. The past two weeks had been among the most hectic he'd ever endured. As a Ghostbuster, he'd seen a lot of weird things, and after their first meeting with the Morphin Warriors, he'd thought things couldn't get any stranger. The Rangers had proved them wrong, though, first recruiting Peter for a defense of the city, and then- the whole Shadowborg crisis.   
That had been a weird experience. Peter was now a full-fledged Morphin Warrior, and Winston could only be glad it wasn't him. After all, the last thing he wanted was to have to wear pink all the time. He could imagine the adjustments Peter would have to make, though, and he certainly hadn't had time for it yet.   
Sighing, Winston picked up his wrench. Peter couldn't avoid them forever, and meanwhile, he was gonna get that tune-up done if it killed him. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Reclining on the couch in the TV room, Ray sighed. He was a little worried about Peter, but only a little. Peter got into moods every so often and when that happened, the only one who could talk to him was Egon. Sooner or later, Ray knew, Peter would have to come home, and when he did, Egon would pounce on him. NOTHING could keep the physicist from getting to the bottom of what was bothering Peter. It was one of the things that made the two of them so close.   
So Ray wasn't all that worried about Peter. Besides, he had something else to think about- the one-of-a-kind comic that had arrived in the mail that morning, from Charterville. Ray grinned. He had always like the Beetleborgs comic books, although they weren't as good as Captain Steel. Nothing could compare to Captain Steel, in Ray's opinion. Still, Beetleborgs was right up there, and getting the chance to meet the man who created the comic had made Ray's day, despite the circumstances of that meeting.   
Art Fortunes had been everything Ray had hoped he would be- nice, intelligent, and more than willing to discuss the scientific aspects of the comic world he had created. In fact, between the two of them, they had managed to clarify a number of principles that eventually went into making the new gestalt weapons for the Beetleborgs. And for that, Art had sent him a one-of-a-kind comic as a thank you.   
"'Ghostbusters meet Beetleborgs,'" Ray chuckled. The comic had been autographed not only by Art, but also by all four of the Beetleborgs themselves. He grinned to himself, not opening the comic yet. The whole thing had been a blast, despite the moments of stark terror, and what had happened to poor Katie. Still, getting to spend two weeks in the company of Earth's premier superhero teams- that had been nearly a dream come true. Even Peter had enjoyed it- although he'd never admit it.   
Thinking of his friends, Ray picked up the comic and began to leaf through it. Art's story used the comic book 'Borgs- "just in case," as the cartoonist had said. However, Ray definitely thought he could see the personalities of the REAL Beetleborgs in the comic ones, especially with the introduction of Electric Bronze. Reading through the comic, Ray was pleased to see that Art's characterization of all four Ghostbusters was accurate. Of course, after spending two weeks in close quarters, it would be hard not to get it right. And Art had, including Egon's sense of humor. Getting comfortable, Ray settled down to read the comic in depth. He'd have to show it to the rest of the guys later. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Going somewhere?" Egon asked mildly, sticking his head out of his lab. Peter winced. He'd been hoping to sneak into the bedroom without being seen. He didn't want to have to discuss his new powers with anyone- he wasn't quite clear on his feelings yet himself. But he knew Egon would not be put off, and with a sigh, he decided to get it over with.   
"What's up, Spengs?" he asked, assuming his usual air of innocence. "Did I forget to take out the garbage again?"   
"No, Peter," Egon replied. "Well, actually, you did, but that's not what I want to talk to you about." The physicist stepped away from the door of his lab, and Peter, reacting to the unspoken invitation, followed.   
"Okay, then, big guy, what's on your mind?" the psychologist sighed, flopping into a chair.   
Sitting down in the other seat, Egon fixed his friend with an intense blue gaze. "I know that you aren't exactly thrilled about being a Morphin Warrior, Peter, but I hadn't noticed too much of a backlash against it over the past two weeks. Then all of a sudden, you've become quite withdrawn. What was it about this morning's bust that triggered your resentment again?"   
Peter studied the older man for a long moment. "I thought _I_ was the psychologist around here," he joked weakly. Then he sighed. "It's just- I can't control it, Egon. Oh sure, I can morph if I WANT to- but I still wind up doing it even when I don't. Don't you get it? This is something completely alien, that's just been dumped on me, and I can't even control when it happens!"   
"I see," Egon replied. And he did. Peter did not like being out of control, not in the slightest bit. After a childhood in which he had too often been the one being pushed around or shuffled from place to place, anything he couldn't control in his own life was disturbing. The idea of suddenly being a superhero was so unlike the life Peter had made for himself, he was instinctively rebelling against it. And to not even be able to dictate WHEN the transformation occurred, that was the worst. "But Peter, you have to understand- you ARE controlling the morphing. You're just doing so unconsciously. Facing Shadowborg, or today on the docks- that wasn't the Power taking command, that was your reflexes. It's just like raising your hands when somebody throws a ball at your face. It's YOUR instincts, not those of the Power."   
Peter sighed, slumping a little in his chair. "That's not the worst part, though… I've seen what being a Ranger does, especially a Green Ranger. It's like walking around with a target on your back! And the trouble doesn't just stop with you. I'm just worried that sooner or later, you guys are going to be endangered because of me."   
Egon smiled. "Peter, all four of us have been attracting trouble at LEAST since we formed the business, and in some cases, long before that. We've faced primal gods, angry elementals, and the Mayor on a bad day. Ranger powers or not, nothing is going to come after us that we can't handle- together."   
"He's right, man," Winston's voice said quietly from the door. Turning, Peter saw his other two partners standing in the doorway. "We've been dealing with weird on a daily basis for years now. You being a Ranger isn't gonna change that."   
Ray nodded, as the two men crossed the room to join their friends. "Besides, you've been a Green personality all your life, Peter. The Power won't up the ante much, anyway."   
"What Ray means," Egon continued, standing, "is that we've already dealt with the worst your personality can throw at us, and we're all still here. And NOTHING is going to change that."   
Slowly, Peter got to his feet. "Did I ever tell you guys how lucky I am to have you as friends?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly.   
"Once or twice," Winston grinned. "And the feeling is definitely mutual." With that, the four men moved into a group hug, holding onto each other tightly. After a long moment, Peter pulled away, a mischievous grin lighting his green eyes.   
"So- since I'm such a joy to have around- does this mean I get out of trash duty?"   
Three voices groaned in unison. "PETER!" Ray laughed, shaking his head.   
"Superpowers or not- you won't ever change."   
"Which," Egon rumbled, "is just the way we like it."   
And that pretty much said it all.   


The End... for now 

  
  



	7. Crystal Morning: Zeo Rangers

after7 _**Disclaimer-** All hail Haim Saban, creator of the Rangers! This is the seventh in the "Aftermath" series of vignettes, in the PC series after "Though the Heavens Fall." Thanks to Hellfire for suggesting this whole thing. This vignette is rated G by the Motion Picture Association of America._

**Crystal Morning**

  


The morning sun peeked in the windows of Tommy Oliver's bedroom, tapping on his eyelids and slowly bringing him awake. Briefly, he considered rolling over and going back to sleep, but the noise of activity from downstairs caused him to nix that idea. Sitting up, he stretched, and grinned as he noticed the near-pristine state of his bedcovers. From the lack of wrinkles there, he'd be willing to hazard a guess that he hadn't moved all night.   
Well, he was entitled to sleep soundly. He'd spent the last two weeks on near-constant alert, from the attack of the Dianth pirates to the battles on Edenoi to the trial itself. He was definitely due a long sleep.   
The trip had certainly been an interesting one, he reflected. Most of his time shipboard had been spent with Jason, just talking about everything. It had scared him to realize just how far apart they had drifted since Jason lost the Gold Powers. With Jason no longer a Power Ranger, it sometimes had seemed as if there wasn't any time for them to hang around together. And after the Morphin Warriors had been activated, Tommy had felt that to some extent, his old friend didn't need him anymore.   
Well, luckily for all of them, that had been cleared up. He and Jason were best friends again, and this time, he wasn't letting that relationship go without a fight.   
Speaking of friends... Tommy grinned. The trip to Edenoi had given him time to get to know Parker O'Neil better, as well. Theirs was an unusual relationship anyway, not only because of Tommy and Lillian's relationship, but also Tommy owed Parker a great debt. The reporter had been the first person to believe in the reformation of the Green Ranger, and his articles on the subject had gone a long way towards causing the people of Angel Grove to accept him as one of the good guys. Things had been awkward between them at first, but now they were finally smoothing out.   
A crash from downstairs caught Tommy's attention. What in the world _was_ that, anyway? He was usually the only one in the house up this early in the morning. Levering himself out of bed, he headed downstairs to investigate.   
"I should have known," he groaned aloud, coming into the family room. Teddy was seated in front of the television, a fairly large bowl of chocolate and peanut butter- his favorite snack- in front of him. The crash Tommy had heard was no doubt something falling over as Teddy attempted to get the food off the top shelf. On the TV, the "Turbo Heroes" program was playing, and his little brother was watching raptly as six teenagers in Spandex fought cheesy rubber monsters.   
"Hey, Ted," Tommy chuckled. His little brother looked up and smiled.   
"Hey, Tommy. Want some of this? I have another spoon!"   
Tommy grimaced. "No thanks, Ted. I have to watch my figure." The thirteen year-old snorted as his older brother sank down onto the couch next to him.   
Teddy looked at Tommy out of the corner of his eye. "I missed you," he said, suddenly serious. "I was kinda worried."   
"Hey," Tommy replied, slinging an arm around his brother's shoulders. "The Power Rangers always win. And there isn't anything in the universe that I'd let keep me away from you guys." That brought a smile to the younger boy's face. "So," Tommy began, knowing he'd probably regret it. "What did I miss?"   
Teddy launched into a synopsis of the episode's plot so far, and Tommy relaxed. No doubt about it, it was good to be home. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

On the front porch of another house in Angel Grove, Tanya Sloan watched the sun come up as well. She knew that most of the other Rangers would no doubt be sleeping like the dead, but she had far too much to think about, most of it having to do with Phaedos.   
She was a Ninjetti, and a Black one, at that. It felt a little strange for her to have the same Ranger color as her boyfriend, but it was also kind of interesting. And she and Zack Taylor shared an animal spirit, which had been the grounds for some good-natured teasing when it came out. Still, she was somewhat in awe of her new abilities, which she had a feeling none of them had even begun to tap.   
The trip to Phaedos had been interesting for other reasons, too. One of those had been a chance for her to really get to know Billy, not something she had ever really been able to do. During his time as the assistant in the Power Chamber, he had been so distant, and she had felt somehow that the Billy she was seeing wasn't the real thing. Their time in Dulcea's compound had proved her right. Instead of the self-contained, somewhat melancholy man, she had seen a capable leader, who thrived from the position, if not from the spotlight. She wouldn't say he was better or worse than Tommy- just different. And now, her relationship with him was far closer and her understanding of him far greater.   
And then there was Adam. Tanya smiled, thinking of her shy boyfriend. Spending so much time together had only strengthened their relationship. So many nights after their training had just been spent lying under the stars, talking about anything and everything that crossed their minds. When Kim and Skull had announced their wedding, right before the trial, it had been a spur for them to discuss where they wanted to go. After a long talk, she and Adam had agreed that while they weren't ready for marriage yet, it was definitely something they looked forward to in the future.   
Sighing, thinking of her boyfriend and how much she loved him, Tanya sat back to enjoy the rest of the sunrise.   
  
  


Entering the kitchen, Adam raised an eyebrow. Despite the fact that it was only seven in the morning, both his father and brother were already up and eating their breakfasts. He supposed he could understand it, though. God knew those left behind on Earth had undergone as much stress as any of the space-going teams, if not more. As for his mother, she didn't respond to stress by not sleeping. In that, both Park boys took after their father.   
"Morning," Trevor greeted his older son, as Adam walked over to the table. "Sleep well?"   
"About as well as could be expected," Adam returned, grabbing Franklin's box of Froot Loops. His father shuddered.   
"I'll never understand how you kids eat that stuff."   
Franklin shrugged. "We need the energy from all the sugar," he explained. For a moment, the three sat in silence, then Franklin grinned at his brother. "I'm glad you're back, Adam. We really could have used your help."   
"I'm sorry about that, Frank. You guys did real good on your own, though."   
"Yeah, we did," the younger boy agreed, with no hint of arrogance. He was merely stating a fact. Finishing his cereal, he looked at the clock. "And that is my cue to get moving," he announced. "I've got to go get a shower."   
Trevor raised an eyebrow at his younger son. "Where do you have to be today?"   
Halfway to the stairs, Franklin turned and flashed the two of them the trademark 'Park grin.' "_I_ have a date with Rosa De Santos," he declared, then hurried up the stairs.   
"Now there's a surprise," Adam remarked blandly. His father chuckled and returned to his breakfast.   
Looking at his father in the morning light, Adam was suddenly struck by the depth of the lines on the older man's face. For the first time in his life, Adam thought his father looked old. _He's not old! He's only forty-seven!_ the Green Zeo Ranger thought to himself, shocked. _But he sure has been through a lot lately,_ he admitted.   
"Dad," he began hesitantly, "about the past couple weeks- we didn't have much of a chance to talk after I got home last night. It must have been pretty rough for you."   
For a moment, Trevor considered just giving Adam an excuse and letting it go with that. The trouble was, he knew the boy would never buy it. That was the problem with having superheroes for children, he reflected semi-sourly. They learned to see through appearances quickly.   
Trevor sighed. "Yes, it was," he admitted quietly. "Not so much because I was worried about you, really. I was, but at least I didn't know what was happening to you, and I could tell myself that you were all fine. But Shadowborg... that thing nearly killed half of my squad, and all I could do was sit back and watch as Franklin went toe-to-toe with it. I don't think I've ever been more proud of the two of you, but it was a lot of stress, just the same."   
Adam nodded. "I missed you too, Dad. I couldn't help worrying about what was going on back here, although I never imagined something like this. But it's OVER. We all made it back safe."   
"Yeah," Trevor agreed, "and you'll never know how grateful I am." Reaching out, he gave his son a quick hug, which Adam returned with interest.   
  


"Sure is a beautiful day," Kat Hilliard remarked, looking at the desert scenery which surrounded the jeep.   
"Sure is," David Trueheart agreed. His gaze was locked on her, however, not their surroundings. Reaching out, he slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. "Did I tell you yet just how much I missed you, Kat?"   
She chuckled. "Oh, only about five times. But please, go ahead and say it again."   
"Without you, there was no sun, no moon, there were no stars... and I got stuck with third-hand reports from the Power Chamber," he grinned.   
Pretending to pout, she turned away from him. "You only love me for my news connections?"   
"No, but they're a serious fringe benefit. Now, you were saying something about Kim and Skull getting married? I can't believe it."   
She laughed. "Sometimes I can't either, and I was THERE. Heck, I was a bridesmaid! She really was a beautiful bride, though, and it was a lovely ceremony." Smiling, she regarded him out of the corner of her eye. "I kept thinking of you."   
Backing off, he raised his hands in mock horror. "If she pulls out a ring, she's walking home," he announced to the desert in general.   
"No, you nut," she scolded, swatting him lightly. "It's just- I was so afraid that I wasn't going to ever come home. We'd come close to dying twice already, and I couldn't stop thinking about the chance that I might not come home to you."   
Sensing the change in her tone, David reached out and drew her closer. "I was kind of worried about that myself, Kat," he replied. "Gave me a lot of sleepless nights."   
"You're not- mad about it, are you?" she asked, blue eyes wide. He smiled.   
"No, Kat, I'm not mad. But I do see why it's so hard for Rangers and non-Rangers to have a relationship. Most people in a relationship, they want to be first in the other person's life. I've been a Ranger, Kat. I know you can't do that. Your duty and your teammates will always hold first place in your heart. I'm perfectly satisfied with being equal to that."   
Smiling, Kat slid her arms around his neck. "You are," she told him honestly. "And you always will be."   
  


Chelsea Oliver cocked an eyebrow at her boyfriend, who stood staring out one of Pyramidas' window screens at the hills beyond. "For a man who's just gotten off the intergalactic hook, you don't seem too cheerful," she observed.   
"Huh?" Trey turned suddenly. "Oh, hi Chelse. I didn't hear you come in."   
"I figured," she drawled. "What's bothering you, Trey?"   
He sighed. "Darkonda's candidate. I know he had one- guys like Darkonda are always prepared. And I'm pretty sure he's high up in the Triforian line of succession. The trouble is, I don't really know most of the men in the line of descent. I never planned on dying."   
"It's over, Trey. Darkonda will NEVER be able to hold office in the Council again, and nobody associated with him will be able to get a job as town dogcatcher. Why is this still bothering you so much?"   
"Because someone willing to ally with Darkonda to gain the Triforian throne is willing to go after it using other methods. And here on Earth, it would be pretty easy to arrange an 'accident,' and claim that I had selected him as my successor. But that's not really what I'm worried about. If somebody wants me dead, the best way to attack me is through my family. With me on Earth, they're vulnerable- and so are you. It would kill me if I lost you, Chelse."   
She smiled. "Yeah, but I'm harder to kill than you might think," she pointed out. "And you've got the Rangers on your side." She hesitated, something suddenly occurring to her. "Trey, we didn't really have time to talk about this before- does my being a Deshaadra bother you?"   
"No way!" her boyfriend replied emphatically. "I know that's been a problem for you in the past, with some of your Earth dates, but frankly, I find the fact that you can hold your own in any fight to be an asset, not a setback. If I wanted a wife whose sole purpose was to make me look good, I would have married one of those brainless lumps of fluff that have been trying to get betrothed to me for the last four hundred years."   
"I guess I just needed to hear that," she sighed. "I guess there are some things even a Deshaadra warrior and the sister of a Power Ranger finds intimidating."   
He hugged her tightly, and the two of them lapsed into a comfortable silence.   
  


When Rocky De Santos awoke, it was to a completely new sensation- quiet. For as long as he could remember, his house had always resounded with the thumps, shouts, and occasional screams of his younger brothers and sisters raising havoc. This morning, however, he could hear nothing. No television blasting, no radios sounding, and no sounds of Juan threatening to use the twins as bases the next time he had to practice. Nothing but pure tranquility. It was beginning to spook him.   
Rising from his bed, he looked at the clock. One in the afternoon! He knew he'd been tired after his return from space, but he hadn't realized he was THAT tired. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he'd missed breakfast. Which was a minor miracle in and of itself, he mused.   
As he walked downstairs, Rocky pulled a shirt over his head, still trying to puzzle out the lack of noise in his house. He's seen his brothers and sisters trying not to wake someone- they usually failed. Even if they had been trying to be quiet for his sake, he should be hearing SOMETHING.   
Entering the kitchen, Rocky found a note on the kitchen table. His mother's graceful handwriting informed him that she'd dropped Alex and the twins at their playgroup, Juan at baseball practice, and Lindsey at ballet. Rosa was on a date with Franklin, and who knew when she'd be home. He was to expect an influx at five.   
Setting the note down, he opened the refrigerator and began to forage. He didn't often get the house to himself, and he intended to make the most of it. Starting with making up for the meal he had missed.   
He sure had been tired, he reflected. De Santos children were known for their inability to sleep through meals. Not that he wasn't entitled. He'd spent the last two weeks almost constantly 'on.' Whether he was worrying about the trial, or the five bruisers on Danata who were interested in making paperweights out of him, he hadn't really had much of a chance to relax.   
Danata… Rocky grinned to himself, remembering how much he had enjoyed his short stay there. He'd never have been able to fit into the culture long-term, but a short visit had been a great deal of fun. Although he had been surprised to find that yes, there were some foods too spicy for even him to eat. As he put together his hero sandwich, he made a mental note never to challenge TJ to an eating contest.   
The adventure in space hadn't been all of it, either. He figured that the shock of returning to find out about the whole Shadowborg thing had contributed to his exhaustion as well. The Turbo Rangers had obviously been trying to play the whole adventure down, but even what they had told him was enough to curl his hair. Still, the kids had come through with flying colors. Which made Rocky just a bit uncomfortable. He wasn't going to be able to ignore the fact that his little sister was growing up anymore.   
With a sigh, he pulled himself away from those thoughts and addressed himself to his sandwich. After all, a Ranger had to keep his strength up.   
  


Finishing her routine, Katarina Petronov looked up to see Ernie's television set playing a newscast about the recent Shadowborg fracas. She grabbed a towel and headed over to the bar, waving at Christina Collins as she did so. The White and Silver Zeo Rangers settled onto a pair of stool, eyes still glued to the set. Katarina whistled.   
"We missed THIS?" she remarked, astounded. The television was currently replaying Shadowborg's first battle with the Turbo Rangers. Both girls winced as they watched their much younger colleagues being thrown around unmercifully by the evil Beetleborg.   
Christina shook her head. "I can still barely believe they pulled it off," she replied. "With just a skeleton crew!"   
"Allies can be powerful things," her friend remarked. "As has been most definitely demonstrated."   
"Mmm," agreed Christina. Neither of them was likely to forget just how many unexpected witnesses had come to Zordon's trial to testify, not so much for Zordon as for them. It was a sobering experience to see how many people the Rangers had touched.   
Katarina sighed. For years, ever since she had come to America, Christina had been her best and sometimes only friend. Even after their joining the Rangers, they'd been inseparable. Inseparable, that was, until the time had come for the Rangers to split up in space. Katya could understand the logic behind the choices- her personality, not to mention her powers as a Silver Ranger, made her the perfect choice for a trip to Danata. Christina, on the other hand, could not be separated from Billy, who was the only logical choice to lead the Phaedos contingent. And now her best friend was a Ninjetti, something she, Katarina, couldn't even begin to understand. There was a strange sort of reserve in Christina now, a wall Katarina wasn't sure she could break. But she was darn well going to try.   
"You know, you never got around to telling me at the party- what was Phaedos like?" she asked.   
Christina smiled. "Oh, it was beautiful," she replied, blue eyes dancing. "Oceans, and forests, and mountains- although we didn't get to see all that much of it. We were pretty busy with our training. The best part of the whole thing was that Billy and I had all this time to spend together. What about you? How was your trip?"   
"It was marvelous. I've never felt so- well, free. We landed during a festival, and the atmosphere was very contagious. I loved it. I just- wish you could have been there."   
Nodding, Christina took her friend's hand. "I know we're a little different now, Katya, but I don't want you ever to think that I'm not your friend anymore. I'll always be your best friend, and nothing is ever gonna change that."   
Katarina smiled. "Same here, Chris. Same here."   
  


"Ugh." Lillian O'Neil wrinkled her nose and made a face. "Parker, does this stuff really have to smell this bad?"   
Her brother raised an eyebrow at her as he dipped his pictures in the developer. "Listen, Sis, a girl who goes toe-to-toe with Rito Revolto should not be complaining about a little chemical stink."   
"I was talking about your cologne," she shot back, grinning. "Besides, when I go up against Rito, I'm wearing a helmet. The stench doesn't get through quite as bad." Then she shrugged. "Not to mention Rito was always Jason and company's department."   
Parker sighed. "I give up. You almost finished with that batch?"   
"Just hanging 'em up to dry." Squinting in the red light of Parker's darkroom, Lillian examined the photos before her. "Hey, this batch is from Edenoi. Siege of Tae Shalrith. They turned out nicely."   
"That's good," her brother replied. "Whoops, can't use this one. That's Tommy in the background."   
"I'm not sure you wanna use this one, either. It doesn't take a lot of imagination to figure out what that gesture translates to."   
Taking the photo in question from his sister, Parker made a face. "No, Jacobs would skin me alive. Nice to see some traditions are universal, though." Turning to look at his sister, he found her staring at nothing in particular. "Are you all right, Sis, or is the developer just getting to you?"   
Lillian started. "No, just thinking about the trip. I've gotta admit, of all the people I could envision taking a trip to outer space with, you wouldn't have been first on my list."   
"Not how I would have expected to spend two weeks either," Parker assented. "But it was a great trip. Don't you think?"   
"Aside from the fact that I still have nightmares about Tae Shalrith, yeah," she shot back dryly.   
He cocked an eyebrow at her in the "reporter face" expression she'd come to know so well. "Wanna talk about it?" he asked.   
She shrugged. "Not much to say. It's just that last battle, you know, with the sea of goons closing in on us. If it hadn't been for Lexian's troops, we would have been toast." Shivering, she shook her head. "I just- hadn't been quite that close to death yet in my career. It happens to everybody."   
"Well, you know if you ever need to talk, I'm here," he told her seriously. She smiled at him.   
"I know, Park. After all, what are big brothers for?"   
  


Jamie Zedden was almost through with her sword routine when she suddenly had the sensation of being watched. It wasn't malevolent- after two-plus years as a Power Ranger, she'd learned to tell THAT feeling in a heartbeat. So she didn't whirl immediately. Instead, she finished her routine, banished her sword, and then turned around. As she had suspected, her father stood in doorway to the porch, watching as she worked out.   
"What's up, Dad?" she asked, sinking into a chair. Walking out onto the deck, he did the same.   
"I was just wondering," Larry Zedden began, "you went to Danata, correct."   
Jamie nodded. "Yeah. That was a weird experience. It was like I belonged and I didn't at the same time. I felt so at home there- but at the same time, I wanted to get back to Earth worse than anything."   
Her father smiled. "I know the feeling. It's about what I went through back when I first came to Earth. No matter how much I tried to pretend as Lord Zedd that Danata didn't mean anything to me, deep down inside, it was still my home."   
"Do you ever think about going back, just for a visit? You could, you know. Thanks to Zordon and a little slight of hand, the whole galaxy thinks Lord Zedd is dead- which he is, in a way. I'm sure Zarador would be happy to help arrange things."   
Larry sighed. "I've thought about it, but- it's probably better that I don't go. The way things are now, Danata's more like- the memory of a dream. I'm happy here, on Earth, with your mother and you. This is my home now. I don't want to take the chance on stirring up any old memories."   
Jamie nodded. After a moments silence, she cocked her head. "You look like crap, if you don't mind my saying so. This must have been pretty stressful for you."   
"You have no idea," her father laughed. "For millennia, I knew every hell-hole and scum-sucker to walk the Alliance of Evil. And all I could think about, from the moment you left to the instant you got back, was of you and the rest of the Rangers meeting up with every one of them. The only thing that kept me from going completely insane was the fact that all of you would probably send them screaming back to whatever holes they crawled out of."   
She chuckled. "Your faith in us is staggering."   
"Well, heck, you used to make ME feel like that. Even back when there were only six! I'd hate to see what twenty-plus would do to a villain's equilibrium."   
With that, the two of them settled down to watch the sun set over Angel Grove, secure in the knowledge that the Rangers were all home and safe- at least for the time being.   


The End 

  
  



	8. Virtual Dawning: VR Troopers

after8 _**Disclaimer-** The Troopers belong to Saban, not me. Remember, folks, disclaimers keep the demon lawyers at bay! This is the eighth in the "Aftermath" series of vignettes, in the PC series after "Though the Heavens Fall." Thanks to Hellfire for suggesting this whole thing. This vignette is rated G by the Motion Picture Association of America.___

**Virtual Dawning**

  


Sunrise in Cross World City found Ryan Steele, as it always did, up at the temple on the shoreward side of town. Running through his katas in the growing morning light always helped him make sense of his thoughts. This morning more than any before, he had a lot to think about.   
His father was home, and this time to stay. The Rangers had been kind enough, before he left Angel Grove, to use their teleportation system to move all of Tyler's stuff from the lab in Norway to the house in Cross World, and father and son had been unpacking late into last night. When they had finished, it had seemed to Ryan that they had finally pushed back the ten years of emptiness the house had endured between Tyler's disappearance and Ryan's coming of age. For the first time in a long time, it really felt like home.   
Ryan smiled wistfully as the sun began peeking over the horizon. Part of the reason he had never given up hope during those ten years had been that house. When everyone around him had been saying that Tyler was dead, and that he'd never becoming back, Ryan's grandfather had refused to sell the house. Jonathan Steele had claimed it was so Ryan could have a place to live after high school, but Ryan had always thought that the older man simply did not want to admit that his son was never coming home.   
And now Tyler was home, for good. Neither Ryan nor his father was optimistic enough to believe that they'd heard the last of Grimlord, of course. The virtual warlord had bounced back from such setbacks before, and Ryan had no doubts he could do it again. But with the prism that contained all Tyler's knowledge destroyed, Ziktor would have to find a new method to access virtual reality, and all of the data that Tyler and Dr. Jacobsen had compiled was now useless. And after the close call during the battles with Shadowborg, Tyler wasn't about to lose any more time with his son. Ten years was more than enough.   
From thoughts of Shadowborg, Ryan's mind slipped effortlessly into thoughts of Katie. His eyes unfocused as he stared at the horizon, seeing her in his memories. Her absence still hurt- and he knew on some level it always would, just as he knew his father still mourned the loss of his wife, twenty years gone. But a series of long talks with Lita and Peter had helped Ryan work through the guilt he felt, and he knew there would come a time when the warmth and joy of his memories would be stronger than the pain they caused.   
With a sigh, Ryan finished his last kata and bowed to the sunrise. Heading for his motorcycle, he grinned to himself. For the first time in a long time, he was excited about heading home. After all, he finally had something to go home for. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Morning, Woody," Kaitlin Starr grinned, easily making her way through the crowds of people filling the offices of the _Underground Voice Daily._ She was conscious of the curious looks being directed her way by some of the fellow staffers, but ignored them. Her departure almost directly after the appearance Green Turbo Ranger and the Titanium Silver Beetleborg had surely raised a few questions, but she doubted anyone really suspected anything.   
At her greeting, the paper's editor leaped to his feet, eyes wide. "Kaitlin!" the bearded man greeted her enthusiastically. "Are you okay? Where have you been? We were all worried SICK!"   
"Woody, I requested a leave of absence to chase down a story, remember?"   
"Yeah, I remember. I also remember that you've never taken more than two days off at a time. You were gone TWO WEEKS!"   
Kaitlin smiled to herself. The bearded, eccentric editor of the paper was more than an employer to all of them- he was a friend, and for many of the reporters, he was almost a surrogate father. Even Percy, the mayor's annoying nephew, had once confided in Kaitlin that Woody was more of a father to him than his own ever was. "It's sweet of you to worry about me, Woody, but I'm fine, really. And I've got you the story of the century." Reaching into her back, she pulled out a sheaf of papers, which she set on Woody's desk. "A blow-by-blow account of the Shadowborg battles, straight from the mouths of the defense force."   
Woody's jaw dropped, and he quickly scanned the papers before him. "Kaitlin, this is incredible." He looked up. "This is where you were?"   
"Far out of the line of fire," she assured him, crossing her fingers mentally. "I got most of this second-hand."   
Shaking his head, Woody slid the papers to one side of his desk for future reference. "Well, you've definitely earned your salary for this month."   
Kaitlin held up a hand. "That's not all," she grinned. "You know who Parker O'Neil is?"   
"Ace reporter for the _Angel Grove Gazette?_ The guy who got the first interview with the Power Rangers? The photographer? That Parker O'Neil?"   
"That's the one. We traded stories. He went into space with the rest of the Ranger teams. We agreed that we'd wait a day, then run each other's stories, if you're interested."   
Woody grinned. "What an ideeeeea! Kaitlin, you never cease to amaze me."   
"Thanks, Woody. If you don't mind, I'm gonna go reacquaint myself with my office."   
"Hmm?" the editor replied, already half into Parker's story. "Oh, yeah, sure. See you later, Kaitlin."   
Chuckling to herself, Kaitlin made her way back to her office in the back corner of the newsroom. Sinking gratefully into her chair, she relaxed. She had to admit, the piece she'd just finished could well have been the greatest story of her career. She'd been careful not to hint about anyone's identities, of course, but she'd made sure that Katie's sacrifice got the attention it deserved. It was the only memorial her double could ever truly have.   
Kaitlin sighed. Poor Ryan. It was almost as if Fate didn't want him to be happy. If Grimlord wasn't playing games with his emotions, something else was. It was one of the reasons she hesitated to get close to him, even though she loved him with all her heart.   
_Remember, if you ever want to talk, I'm here._   
_I know. And you always have been._   
No matter how she tried to get her mind off of it, that exchange in Angel Grove Park still haunted her. What did he mean by that? Simply that he knew she'd always been there for him to talk to? Or had be been implying something more? Did he- could he realize that she loved him as much as Katie had? Or was she just reading into it because of her feelings for him?   
With a frustrated sigh, she dropped her head into her hands. If she didn't stop thinking about this soon, she was going to go crazy. Which, she thought wryly, was just what she got for falling in love with someone like Ryan Steele. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

JB Reese sighed once as he loaded the newest sample into the analyzer. >From the monitor on the wall, Professor Hart watched him intently. "Is something troubling you, JB? You seem distracted."   
The young man startled, looking up. "What makes you say that, Professor?"   
"You loaded the sample backwards," the virtual scientist replied dryly. "If you'd like to talk about something, I'm willing to listen."   
JB let out another deep breath. Loading the sample the correct way, he sank down in only chair in the pristine white VR lab. "There's really nothing bothering me that isn't bothering all of us, I guess. It's just- despite everything, I never really thought one of us would ever really get killed. I knew that was a risk- heck, I still have nightmares about the time Grimlord's dungeon blew up with Ryan inside it! But- he made it out of there, and I guess I figured we'd always be that lucky. And then- Katie."   
The Professor nodded. "It was a shock for all of us. The three of you have become very important to me, and this was really the first time it occurred to me that I might lose one of you."   
"It's scary," JB agreed. "But we've all been talking to Dr. Kino, and she's promised that we can drop in on her any time, the same arrangement she has with the Rangers. It's gonna take time, but- I think we can get through this."   
"But something else bothers you, doesn't it?" Professor Hart continued. "I've known you for two years, JB. I've learned to read your body language very well."   
Smiling slightly, JB shook his head. "You don't miss a thing, Professor. The other thing- it's Ryan. On some level, I've always know he hates Grimlord, but I never realized just how bad it was. He was really going to pull that trigger. Sure, most of that was Shadowborg's manipulation, but not all of it. I've just never been scared of my best friend before, but I sure was that day."   
The virtual scientist nodded thoughtfully, but there was really nothing else he could say. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Having the VR Troopers discover his secret identity had been bad, Karl Ziktor reflected sourly, sitting in his office. Having them steal the Prism of Empowerment, the tool he used to transform into Grimlord, that had been worse. But the crowning insult had to be the fact that the Shadowborg, destroyed right in the middle of his office, had done some impromptu renovations, putting in a rather large skylight. Having a tarpaulin keeping the rain out of his inner sanctum didn't do much for a man's image as a threatening entrepreneur.   
"The search continues, Mr. Ziktor," one of his skug secretaries announced. "We will soon find another source of power to allow you to transform into Grimlord once again."   
Ziktor nodded, waving her away. "Leave me." Then, recalling his rather precarious hold on his power, he added, "Thank you."   
She nodded and walked out, eyes wide with surprise. THAT wasn't a phrase she had ever heard from him before, and she never expected to hear it again.   
Dropping his head into his hands, Ziktor sighed. Currently, he was keeping control of the Virtual Army by keeping the lines of communication open, and promising dire punishments for anybody who got cute during his absence. That could only go so long, however, before the members of the army got to fighting among themselves for control. If that happened, the Troopers would likely find themselves out of a job very quickly.   
Thinking of the Troopers, the evil businessman barely fought back a shudder. Was it really only two days ago that Ryan Steele had stood in this office pointing a gun at his head? Ziktor didn't often think about his own mortality- indeed, with the powers of Grimlord, he could conceivably live forever. Ever since that day, though, Ziktor had been unable to shake the image of two ice blue eyes, boring into his behind the barrel of a gun.   
Shaking off the memory, Ziktor returned to his work. He would rebuild his powers and take control of Virtual Reality again; it was that simple. And no one, not even the VR Troopers, would get in his way. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Excellent workout," Tao Chong declared, bowing to his three best students.   
"Thanks, Tao," Ryan replied, returning his sensei's bow. "Listen, JB and I just wanted to apologize for leaving you high and dry for the last two weeks. We had some- really important business to deal with."   
Tao smiled, shaking his head. "I understand, Ryan. There is no need to apologize. You would not do such things unless it were necessary. Now, if the three of you would clean up the dojo before you leave, I would be most grateful."   
"You got it, Tao," Kaitlin replied. "And thanks."   
The four exchanged bows again, and Tao left the three teens alone in the practice room. JB watched the karate instructor go with a thoughtful expression.   
"You know, he never asks questions anymore. We can literally run out of here in the middle of a class, and all he says when we get back is "I trust you." You think he knows?"   
Ryan shrugged. "Does it matter?" he asked practically.   
"I guess not," JB replied. "So- how're you doing?"   
"I'm okay," the blond boy smiled wryly. "One day at a time. I just want you guys to know- you really mean a lot to me, and I'm thankful that you've stood beside me for so long."   
Kaitlin clapped him on the shoulder. "That's what friends are for, Ryan."   
JB nodded. "Yeah. You know we'll always be there for you."   
"I know," Ryan agreed. "I know."   


The End... for now 

  



	9. Loose Threads: Support Staff

after9 _**Disclaimer-** Saban owns Zordon and the Power Rangers. Lita Kino, Daystar Dianthan, Trevor Park, and Parker O'Neil all belong to me. You can borrow 'em, just tell me first. This is the ninth and last in the "Aftermath" series of vignettes, in the PC series after "Though the Heavens Fall." Thanks to Hellfire for suggesting this whole thing. This vignette is rated G by the Motion Picture Association of America._

**Loose Threads**

Ronald Jacobs looked up from the papers on his desk, already beginning to scowl. The sound of jaunty whistling was floating through the offices of the _Gazette,_ and Jacobs only knew of one reporter that disgustingly confident in himself. Taking a deep breath, the editor roared "O'Neil! Get in here!"   
The reporter strolled into the editor's office, leaning insolently on the doorjamb. "You bellowed, sir?" he asked brightly.   
"I have spent the past two weeks watching some armor-plated nutcase ripping apart my city, and running little second-hand blurbs because none of my reporters had the guts to get anywhere near the action," Jacobs growled. "Now you'd better have something good to show me for being gone for two weeks, O'Neil, or you can take that smirk of yours over to the _Chronicle!_"   
Parker pretended to shudder. "And wind up playing shutterclicker for Lane and Kent? I don't think so. Here, boss, maybe this'll help with the ulcers." Parker tossed a packet on the table. As the editor leafed through it, his expression changed from thunderous to sour interest to one of his rare smiles.   
"I don't know how you do it, O'Neil."   
"Talent runs in the bloodline," Parker replied easily. "And you mentioned Shadowborg? I have something else for you, if you're interested."   
Jacobs' eyes narrowed. "What is it?" he asked cautiously.   
"Ever hear of Kaitlin Starr, of the _Underground Voice Daily?_ Apparently she got the story of the century off the defense force. If you're interested in running it, of course..."   
Ten minutes later, Parker O'Neil was strolling out the door of the office, grinning like an idiot. His temporary roommate, Daystar Dianthan, regarded him in amusement.   
"It went well?" she asked dryly.   
Parker nodded. "I get to keep my job for another week or so. That's how long it'll take until he threatens to fire me again."   
"Reporters," the policewoman sighed, shaking her head. "Well, come on, let's go. You promised to drive me to the station." 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Cherry-red convertibles are not the type of vehicle generally found in the parking lots of police stations. The impound lots, yes, but not the parking lots. As a result, Daystar and Parker drew a lot of attention as they pulled in. Looking over at his girlfriend, the reporter smiled. "Hey, you'll do fine. This is the type of job you've been doing for twelve years, right?"   
"Yeah, on another planet. I'm just hoping I don't screw up the cover story Adam and Justin came up with."   
He grinned. "Don't worry about it. Detective Park will be there to keep an eye on you until you settle in. Now go on."   
With a nervous smile, she got out of the car and headed into the building. Instantly she felt more at ease. Except for the fact that everyone in the room was human, she could have been back at headquarters on Erlion. Squaring her shoulders, she walked up to the front desk.   
"I'm looking for Detective Trevor Park," she began. "Can you help me?"   
"Sure, hon," the woman replied. "Straight back past the coffee machine, turn left at-" Their conversation was cut off by the noise of someone having a violent argument. The reception officer shook her head. "Forget what I was saying. Just follow your ears."   
Daystar grinned as she made her way back through the forest of desks. Looked like not much changed from planet to planet.   
As Daystar made her way into the small alcove outside Trevor's office, she saw a mousy-looking man in a suit hurrying past her, with several officers smirking as he went. Inside the glassed-in office, she could see Adam's father rubbing his temples absently. Walking up to the doorway, Daystar knocked on the window. "Detective Park?"   
He looked up quickly. "Ah, Lieutenant Hunter, I presume?" he asked, using the last name the Rangers had come up with. It was some type of joke, she knew, but she hadn't asked further.   
"Yes sir. Reporting for duty." She threw him a mock salute, and he grinned, rising from his seat.   
"Welcome to the Monster Squad, Lieutenant, formerly known as the Homicide division. We get about three murders a year here, though, so we spend most of our time dealing with monster related stuff. Let me introduce you to the people you'll be working with."   
Walking out of his office, Trevor whistled shrilly. "All right, listen up, people! This is Lieutenant Daystar Hunter, and she's going to be working with us from now on. Star, that over there is my partner, Rick Winslow. Next to him is Lieutenant Marissa Spinelli. That in the cast is Sergeant Charles Maddox. Most of us call him Chuck."   
"What happened to your leg?" Daystar asked curiously.   
Chuck grimaced. "Got a little too close to the Shadowborg, that's all."   
"The guy who hasn't looked up from his Game Boy is Harry Wong- yo, Harry!"   
"Just a second, Trev," the young Asian lieutenant replied. "I've almost beat my old record."   
"He's a whiz with a phone tap, too," Trevor grinned. "And last, but certainly not least, Sergeant Jayne Washington. Deadly with any number of weapons, especially her coffee."   
The pretty black woman stuck her tongue out at Trevor, then grinned. "It's true, I can't cook worth beans," she shrugged.   
A sudden commotion made everyone look up, including Harry. Jaws dropped all around as four figures in multi-colored armor walked into the alcove. "Hi," waved the Chromium Gold Beetleborg.   
Titanium Silver chuckled. "Hey, Sergeant Maddox. We told you we'd get you that comic."   
Platinum Purple handed the astonished policeman an issue of the Beetleborgs comic. From where he stood, Trevor could see four signatures on the cover, and he grinned. Electric Bronze caught his eye, and waved slightly.   
"Um- thanks," Chuck managed.   
"No problem," Electric Bronze replied. "Say hi to your kids for us." Then, in four flashes of colored light, they were gone.   
Harry Wong shook his head. "Never a dull moment around here," he said simply. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Lita Kino sank gratefully into the leather chair behind her desk. In a display of extremely unprofessional behavior, she promptly kicked off her shoes, placed her feet on the desk, and leaned back. Serena must think she was nuts… especially since she was supposedly coming off a two-week vacation and she looked like someone recently inducted into the ranks of the undead. Not that the secretary would ever actually ask about that.   
No doubt about it, it had been an eventful two weeks, and she had been almost constantly on duty. If it hadn't been for Peter Venkman, she would have run herself into the ground, and things might have turned out for the worst. Thinking of the irreverent pyschologist, Lita grinned. She liked Peter a great deal, and she had noticed the kids throwing a number of speculative glances in their direction. But their relationship, while more than professional, was definitely NOT romantic in any way. It was as Peter had said once- they were just too similar. Psychological professionals, Thunder Green personalities- Peter was a wonderful friend, but not what she was looking for in a romance. Besides, his work tied him to New York, and she doubted she would ever leave Angel Grove.   
Plus, she had a boyfriend, even if their relationship wasn't all that serious or even exclusive. Max had his practice in Los Angeles, and to be honest, Lita's work with the Power Rangers gave her little time to spend on anyone not part of that secret. Which probably contributed to the kids' ideas about her and Peter. Relationships with people outside the "inner circle" never seemed to work.   
So why didn't it bother her? Why on earth, Lita wondered, was she taking this so calmly? In effect, she had sacrificed any chance of having a real life to her work, just as her father had, years ago. After seeing how miserable it made him and her mother, she had vowed never to let something like that happen to her. So why was she taking this in stride?   
The photo on her desk caught her eye. It was a huge panoramic photo of all four teams of Rangers and support staff, taken sometime before the whole Shadowborg ruckus had started. It was already out of date, she thought whimsically. Chris Sterling, the Silver Astro Ranger, wasn't included. Idly, the psychiatrist wondered when the photos from yesterday's party would come out.   
This, she realized, was why it didn't bother her. She hadn't sacrificed her life for her job- she'd just traded it in for a different one. These kids regarded her as one of the family. They told her their troubles, but they also shared their joys and hopes, their dreams and fears with her. And she was free to do the same for them. If she were ever in trouble, the Rangers would drop everything and rush to her rescue, without a second thought. They were her life, not her job. Really, she hadn't sacrificed anything.   
As she sat looking at the photo, she remembered something Peter had said to her late one night in the Power Chamber. "Love's a precious thing," he'd declared, his eyes fixed on nothing in particular. "If you've got one person in this world that you'd lay down your life for, without hesitation, you're lucky. If they feel the same way about you, you're blessed. I've got THREE." Lita studied the faces of the Rangers, warmth rising inside of her. Peter had three. How many did she have? 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

In the dim and quiet Power Chamber, a small robot sighed with relief. "That's the last console, Zordon," Alpha 5 declared, sinking to sit on the floor. Zordon smiled slightly at the little android's extremely human reaction.   
"Excellent, Alpha. The Rangers certainly did a thorough job of- reorganizing, didn't they?"   
"That's one way of putting it," his cybernetic assistant muttered. "Aiyiyi!"   
Zordon chuckled. He couldn't blame the Rangers for rewiring the Power Chamber. After all, it had been designed around his presence. With that suddenly removed, they had been forced to do some hasty redesigning to keep everything working. He couldn't follow all the logic of their changes- but when it came to Billy and Justin, that was often the case. In keeping with the Blue energy of the Morphin Grid, both boys were geniuses, complete with the sometimes unorthodox reasoning that implied. And then once the defense force had begun operating out of the Chamber, even more changes had been necessary. Zordon was still undecided as to the wisdom of allowing Ray Stantz free reign with some of the consoles, but desperate times… _And everything turned out all right,_ Zordon told himself.   
He had, of course, been monitoring his Rangers periodically through the day. Outwardly, they were engaged in all manner of their usual pursuits, but he suspected that all of them had many things to think about. _As do I,_ he admitted. First and foremost was the realization that no parent likes to encounter- his "children" were growing up.   
Except for the Astro Rangers, the teams had always looked to him for guidance. Despite Tommy, Jason, and Fred's positions, in the end, the final decisions had always been his. And yet, without any real assistance from him, the Rangers had managed to travel through space and recruit an astounding array of witnesses for his trial. Meanwhile the five left on Earth had pulled together an alliance to face an evil that would even frighten him. They didn't need him anymore, and that thought was just a little bit saddening. But it had to happen sometime, and Zordon knew they would never push him out of their lives.   
And then there were his old friends. Zarador, Lexian, Dulcea- it had been so long since he had seen them- since before his confinement, in fact. It had been wonderful beyond words to see and speak with them again- but a bittersweet pleasure, because he could never really be with them. He was confined beyond the boundaries of this world, able only to see and hear. Lexian had seemed unaffected,- nothing ever seemed to ruffle the Edenite monarch- but Zordon had seen his own pain echoed in Zarador's eyes, and ached to be able to comfort his "younger brother." But there was nothing that could be done.   
Now six of his Rangers were Ninjetti, Jamie was hailed by the people of Danata as a princess, and six others had passed the test of the Morphin Masters, virtually guaranteeing them entrance to the academy should any of them wish to apply. Things had changed so much- and yet they were still his children. This was still his home.   
Zordon let out a soundless sigh, aware of Alpha's expectant gaze. He smiled. "Engage the full sensor net, Alpha. We are finally home."   


The End 

  
  



End file.
